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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet J / Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence and association with equine...
Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)2017; 224; 38-43; doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2017.05.008

Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence and association with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis: A case-control study of Californian horses.

Abstract: While toxoplasmosis is not commonly considered a clinical disease of equines, previous seroprevalence studies have reported differing background rates of Toxoplasma gondii infection in horses globally. The objective of this study was to evaluate possible associations between T. gondii seroprevalence and clinical signs of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) in horses. Using a case-control study design, 720 Californian horses with neurologic signs compatible with EPM were compared to healthy, non-neurologic horses for the presence of T. gondii antibodies (using indirect fluorescent antibody tests [IFAT]). Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence among cases and controls was determined at standard serum cut-offs: 40, 80, 160, 320, and 640. At a T. gondii titre cut-off of 320, horses with clinical signs compatible with EPM had 3.55 times the odds of a seropositive test compared to those without clinical signs (P<0.01) when adjusted for covariates. When restricted to the autumn season and at the same titre cut-off, an EPM suspect horse had 6.4 times the odds of testing seropositive to T. gondii, compared to non-neurologic horses. The association between high T. gondii titres and clinical signs compatible with EPM is potentially reflective of toxoplasmosis in equines. Serologic testing of cerebrospinal fluid and isolation of T. gondii in EPM suspect cases should be considered. Future studies investigating the relationship between T. gondii and EPM are warranted.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2017-05-31 PubMed ID: 28697873DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2017.05.008Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research studied the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite causing toxoplasmosis, in horses in California and its potential association with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, a debilitating neurological disease affecting the spinal cord and brain of horses.

Background

  • The study is founded on the backdrop of toxoplasmosis being a not very common clinical disease among horses. However, Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite causing toxoplasmosis, has been found to have varied rates of infection among horses across the globe.
  • The study therefore sought to determine the relationship between the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and clinical symptoms of Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) in horses.

Methodology

  • A case-control study design was utilized, involving 720 horses in California exhibiting neurological signs correlating with EPM. These horses were compared with healthy horses without any neurological signs.
  • The presence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies was used as a standard for comparison and was determined using indirect fluorescent antibody tests (IFAT).
  • These detections were carried out at the standard serum cut-offs of 40, 80, 160, 320, and 640.

Findings

  • It was found that horses with clinical symptoms aligning with EPM had 3.55 times more chances of testing positive for Toxoplasma gondii at a titre cut-off of 320. The case was the same even when the variables were adjusted.
  • The chances of testing positive increased to 6.4 times when only considering the autumn season at the same titre cut-off. The comparison was against non-neurologic horses.

Interpretations and Future Direction

  • From the study, an association between high Toxoplasma gondii levels and clinical signs aligned with EPM was determined. This association might suggest a possible occurrence of toxoplasmosis in horses.
  • To establish this association more definitively, the research recommends serologic testing of cerebrospinal fluid in suspected EPM cases and isolation of Toxoplasma gondii.
  • It is suggested that there should be further research into the relationship between Toxoplasma gondii and EPM.

Cite This Article

APA
James KE, Smith WA, Packham AE, Conrad PA, Pusterla N. (2017). Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence and association with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis: A case-control study of Californian horses. Vet J, 224, 38-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2017.05.008

Publication

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
ISSN: 1532-2971
NlmUniqueID: 9706281
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 224
Pages: 38-43
PII: S1090-0233(17)30105-3

Researcher Affiliations

James, K E
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA. Electronic address: kjames@ucdavis.edu.
Smith, W A
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Packham, A E
  • Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Conrad, P A
  • Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Pusterla, N
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / cerebrospinal fluid
  • California / epidemiology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Encephalomyelitis / parasitology
  • Encephalomyelitis / veterinary
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / parasitology
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Seasons
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Toxoplasma / immunology
  • Toxoplasma / isolation & purification
  • Toxoplasmosis, Animal / epidemiology
  • Toxoplasmosis, Animal / parasitology

Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
  1. Costa PWL, Oliveira CSM, Bezerra RA, Alvares FBV, Formiga VHAS, Martins MRDD, Feitosa TF, Vilela VLR. Anti-Toxoplasma gondii and Anti-Neospora caninum Antibodies in Urban Traction Equids in Northeast Brazil: Seroprevalence and Risk Factors. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023 Apr 20;8(4).
    doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed8040234pubmed: 37104359google scholar: lookup
  2. Tirosh-Levy S, Steinman A, Minderigiu A, Arieli O, Savitski I, Fleiderovitz L, Edery N, Schvartz G, Mazuz ML. High Exposure to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora Spp. in Donkeys in Israel: Serological Survey and Case Reports. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 19;10(10).
    doi: 10.3390/ani10101921pubmed: 33086723google scholar: lookup
  3. Stelzer S, Basso W, Benavides Silván J, Ortega-Mora LM, Maksimov P, Gethmann J, Conraths FJ, Schares G. Toxoplasma gondii infection and toxoplasmosis in farm animals: Risk factors and economic impact. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2019 Jun;15:e00037.
    doi: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2019.e00037pubmed: 32095611google scholar: lookup
  4. Schale S, Howe D, Yeargan M, Morrow JK, Graves A, Johnson AL. Protozoal coinfection in horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis in the eastern United States. J Vet Intern Med 2018 May;32(3):1210-1214.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.15127pubmed: 29633348google scholar: lookup
  5. Alsakini KAMH, Al-Ammiri HH, Touma MM. Serologic and molecular survey of Toxoplasma gondii in Baghdad Province, Iraq. Open Vet J 2025 Jun;15(6):2492-2499.
    doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i6.21pubmed: 40989605google scholar: lookup
  6. Elmahallawy EK, Hassan MF, Cano-Terriza D, Albalawi NO, Fajardo T, Gouda AA, Atiba A, Hendawy A, Villena I, Barakat AM, Alzaylaee H, Almería S, García-Bocanegra I. Seroepidemiological study of Toxoplasma gondii in equines in Northern Egypt. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1561145.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1561145pubmed: 40458764google scholar: lookup
  7. de Oliveira UV, Varjão JL, de Jesus Deiró AG, Maciel BM, Silva FL, Pinheiro AM, Gondim LFP, Munhoz AD. Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii from the masseter muscles of equines destined for human consumption in a slaughterhouse in southern Brazil. J Parasit Dis 2025 Mar;49(1):121-129.
    doi: 10.1007/s12639-024-01744-5pubmed: 39975622google scholar: lookup
  8. Valderrama-Martinez C, Packham A, Zheng S, Smith W, Plancarte M, Aleman M. Effect of refrigeration, room temperature, and processing time on serum immunofluorescent antibody titers for Sarcocystis neurona. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Jan-Feb;39(1):e17282.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.17282pubmed: 39715359google scholar: lookup
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