Seroepidemiology of Sarcocystis neurona, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. among horses in the south of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Ribeiro, Manoel Junqueira Maciel; Rosa, Marina Helena Figueredo; Bruhn, Fábio Raphael Pascoti; Garcia, Adriana de Mello; Rocha, Christiane Maria Barcellos Magalhães da; Guimarães, Antônio Marcos

doi:10.1590/S1984-29612016029

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Original Article • Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet. 25 (02) • Apr-Jun 2016 • https://doi.org/10.1590/S1984-29612016029 copy

Seroepidemiology of Sarcocystis neurona, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. among horses in the south of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Soroepidemiologia de Sarcocystis neurona, Toxoplasma gondii e Neospora spp. em Equinos no Sul do Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

The present study used the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) to determine the seroprevalence of Sarcocystis neurona, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp., and evaluated the variables associated with these infections among 506 apparently healthy horses, reared in the south of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This study was conducted between April 2012 and October 2013. Among the horses, the true prevalence of S. neurona was 26% (95% CI: 22.0-30.4%), T. gondii 19.9% (95% CI: 15.5-24.8%) and Neospora spp. 23.9% (95% CI: 19.9-28.1%); and among the farms, 88.3% (95% CI: 74.4-91.6%), 71.6% (95% CI: 41-92.8%) and 85% (95% CI: 70.7-96.1%), respectively. Regarding mixed infection, 17 horses (3.4%) were seropositive for both S. neurona and T. gondii, 16 (3.2%) for T. gondii and Neospora spp. and 14 (2.8%) for S. neurona and Neospora spp. The associations between seropositivity and variables relating to the structure of the farm, management and health were analyzed using the logistic regression analysis, through the generalized estimating equations (GEE). The results suggest that the south of Minas Gerais is an enzootic area for S. neurona, T. gondii and Neospora spp. among horses, with prevalence of asymptomatic subclinical or chronic infections.

Keywords:
Apicomplexa; Sarcocystidae; indirect immunofluorescence; risk factors

Factors	*Sarcocystis neurona*				*Odds* ratio (OR)	95% CI	P ^* * Exact Test of Fisher (P < 0.05).
Factors	Positive		Negative		*Odds* ratio (OR)	95% CI	P ^* * Exact Test of Fisher (P < 0.05).
	n	%	n	%
Feed manufactured on the farm (n = 47^ Six farms did not use feed. There was no significant association (P > 0.05) between seropositivity and the following variables: sex; age; keeping horses in stables; and purpose of horse-rearing. )							0.026
No	13	65.00	7	35.00	1
Yes	25	92.59	2	7.41	6.731	1.219-37.155

Farm includes or borders a forest reserve (n = 53)							0.030
No	2	33.33	3	66.67	1
Yes	42	87.50	6	12.50	10.500	1.445-76.289

Factors	*Toxoplasma gondii*				*Odds* ratio (OR)	95% CI	P ^* * Exact Test of Fisher and chi-square test (P < 0.05).
Factors	Positive		Negative		*Odds* ratio (OR)	95% CI	P ^* * Exact Test of Fisher and chi-square test (P < 0.05).
	n	%	n	%
Total number of horses on the farm (n = 53)							0.033
>100 animals	6	60.00	4	40.00	1
<100 animals	39	90.69	4	9.31	6.493	1.272-33.333

Vaccine against tetanus (n = 53)							0.038
Yes	3	50.00	3	50.00	1
No	42	89.36	5	10.64	8.403	1.321-52.631

Vaccine against influenza (n = 53)							0.014
Yes	12	66.66	6	33.34	1
No	33	94.28	2	5.72	8.264	1.459-47.619

Use of embryo transfer (n = 53)							0.017
Yes	17	70.83	7	29.17	1
No	28	96.55	1	3.45	11.494	1.303-99.999

Use of a treatment, cleaning and care area for the animals (n = 53)							0.050
Yes	20	74.07	7	25.93	1
No	25	96.15	1	3.85	8.771	0.993-76.923

Age of the animals (n= 485^ The ages of 21 horses were not informed. There was no significant association (P > 0.05) between seropositivity and the following variables: presence of cats; rearing purpose and system; sex; and rearing of horses and cattle together. )							0.011
< 5 years	36	16.29	185	83.71	1
> 5 years	68	25.76	196	74.24	1.783	1.135-2.799

Factors	Neospora spp.				*Odds* ratio (OR)	95% CI	P ^* * Exact Test of Fisher and chi-square test (P < 0.05).
Factors	Positive		Negative		*Odds* ratio (OR)	95% CI	P ^* * Exact Test of Fisher and chi-square test (P < 0.05).
	N	%	n	%
Supply of hay (n= 53)							0.045
Yes	13	61.90	8	38.10	1
No	28	87.50	4	12.50	4.310	1.096-16.949

Contact between horses and other animals (n= 53)							0.008
No	7	50.00	7	50.00	1
Yes	34	87.18	5	12.82	6.800	1.666-27.761

Age of the animals (n= 485^ The ages of 21 horses were not informed. There was no significant association (P > 0.05) between seropositivity and the following variables: presence of dogs on the property; sex of the animals; and occurrence of either reproductive or neurological disorders in the equine herds. )							0.034
< 5 years	37	16.74	184	83.26	1
> 5 years	65	24.62	199	75.38	1.624	1.035-2.549

Factors	Neospora spp.				Adjusted Odds Ratio (OR)	CI 95% (OR)	P
Factors	Positive		Negative		Adjusted Odds Ratio (OR)	CI 95% (OR)	P
	n	%	n	%
Presence of cattle (n= 53)							0.007
No	2	40.00	3	60.00	1
Yes	39	81.25	9	18.75	5.280	1.585-17.598

Presence of cats (n= 53)							0.045
No	21	67.74	10	32.26	1
Yes	15	93.75	1	6.25	1.881	1.015-3.485

Colégio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinária FCAV/UNESP - Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Via de acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane s/n, Zona Rural, , 14884-900 Jaboticabal - SP, Brasil, Fone: (16) 3209-7100 RAMAL 7934 - Jaboticabal - SP - Brazil
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[1] *Corresponding author: Antônio Marcos Guimarães. Departamento de Medicina Veterinária – DMV, Universidade Federal de Lavras – UFLA, CP 3037, CEP 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brasil. e-mail: amg@dmv.ufla.br