TY - JOUR
T1 - A serosurvey of selected cystogenic coccidia in Spanish equids
T2 - First detection of anti-Besnoitia spp. specific antibodies in Europe
AU - Gutiérrez-Expósito, Daniel
AU - García-Bocanegra, Ignacio
AU - Howe, Daniel K.
AU - Arenas-Montes, Antonio
AU - Yeargan, Michelle R.
AU - Ness, Sally Anne L.
AU - Ortega-Mora, Luis M.
AU - Álvarez-García, G.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s).
PY - 2017/5/10
Y1 - 2017/5/10
N2 - Background: Equine besnoitiosis, caused by Besnoitia bennetti, and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), caused by Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi are relevant equine diseases in the Americas that have been scarcely studied in Europe. Thus, a serosurvey of these cystogenic coccidia was carried out in Southern Spain. A cross-sectional study was performed and serum samples from horses (n=553), donkeys (n=85) and mules (n=83) were included. An in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to identify a Besnoitia spp. infection and positive results were confirmed by an a posteriori western blot. For Neospora spp. and Sarcocystis spp., infections were detected using in-house ELISAs based on the parasite surface antigens N. hughesi rNhSAG1 and S. neurona rSnSAG2/3/4. Risk factors associated with these protozoan infections were also investigated. Results: Antibodies against Besnoitia spp., Neospora spp. and Sarcocystis spp. infections were detected in 51 (7.1%), 46 (6.4%) and 20 (2.8%) of 721 equids, respectively. The principal risk factors associated with a higher seroprevalence of Besnoitia spp. were the host species (mule or donkey), the absence of shelter and the absence of a rodent control programme. The presence of rodents was the only risk factor for Neospora spp. infection. Conclusions: This study was the first extensive serosurvey of Besnoitia spp. infection in European equids accomplished by two complementary tests and gives evidence of the presence of specific antibodies in these populations. However, the origin of the infection is still unclear. Further parasite detection and molecular genotyping are needed to identify the causative Besnoitia and Neospora species. Finally, cross-reactions with antibodies directed against other species of Sarcocystis might explain the positive reactions against the S. neurona antigens.
AB - Background: Equine besnoitiosis, caused by Besnoitia bennetti, and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), caused by Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi are relevant equine diseases in the Americas that have been scarcely studied in Europe. Thus, a serosurvey of these cystogenic coccidia was carried out in Southern Spain. A cross-sectional study was performed and serum samples from horses (n=553), donkeys (n=85) and mules (n=83) were included. An in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to identify a Besnoitia spp. infection and positive results were confirmed by an a posteriori western blot. For Neospora spp. and Sarcocystis spp., infections were detected using in-house ELISAs based on the parasite surface antigens N. hughesi rNhSAG1 and S. neurona rSnSAG2/3/4. Risk factors associated with these protozoan infections were also investigated. Results: Antibodies against Besnoitia spp., Neospora spp. and Sarcocystis spp. infections were detected in 51 (7.1%), 46 (6.4%) and 20 (2.8%) of 721 equids, respectively. The principal risk factors associated with a higher seroprevalence of Besnoitia spp. were the host species (mule or donkey), the absence of shelter and the absence of a rodent control programme. The presence of rodents was the only risk factor for Neospora spp. infection. Conclusions: This study was the first extensive serosurvey of Besnoitia spp. infection in European equids accomplished by two complementary tests and gives evidence of the presence of specific antibodies in these populations. However, the origin of the infection is still unclear. Further parasite detection and molecular genotyping are needed to identify the causative Besnoitia and Neospora species. Finally, cross-reactions with antibodies directed against other species of Sarcocystis might explain the positive reactions against the S. neurona antigens.
KW - Besnoitia spp
KW - Donkey
KW - Horse
KW - Mule
KW - Neospora spp
KW - Risk factors
KW - Sarcocystis spp
KW - Serosurvey
KW - Spain
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019053241&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85019053241&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12917-017-1046-z
DO - 10.1186/s12917-017-1046-z
M3 - Article
C2 - 28490374
AN - SCOPUS:85019053241
SN - 1746-6148
VL - 13
JO - BMC Veterinary Research
JF - BMC Veterinary Research
IS - 1
M1 - 128
ER -