Prevalence of antibodies against Neospora spp. and Sarcocystis neurona in donkeys from northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi are coccidian protozoa that can cause neurological illness in horses in America. In this study we report seroprevalence of Neospora spp. andS. neurona in sera of 333 donkeys from the northeastern region of Brazil. Antibodies to Neospora spp. were detected in 2% (7 donkeys) of 333 sera tested by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) with a cut-off dilution of 1:40. Antibodies to S. neurona were found in 3% (10 donkeys) of the samples tested by IFAT (cut-off ≥50) and 21% (69 donkeys) by the direct agglutination test (SAT ≥50). The SAT and IFAT results for S. neurona showed a poor concordance (value of Kappa=0.051). This is the first report ofNeospora spp. antibodies in Brazilian donkeys and the first detection of antibodies against S. neurona in this animal species.

Seroepidemiology ofSarcocystis neuronaandNeospora hughesiinfections in domestic donkeys (Equus asinus) in Durango, Mexico

“…This seroprevalence is comparable with a 2% seroprevalence of Neospora reported in 333 donkeys from the north-eastern region of Brazil using IFAT (cut-off 1:40) [7]. In another study in Brazil, researchers found antibodies to Neospora in 2 of 500 donkeys studied using IFAT (cut-off 1:100) [6].…”

“…Sera of 333 donkeys from four states in Brazil were tested for antibodies to S. neurona by using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT, cut-off 1:40) and direct agglutination tests (SAT, cut-off 1:50). Ten (3.0%) were seropositive by IFAT and 69 (21.0%) were positive by SAT [7]. However, comparison of these seroprevalences should be interpreted with care since different laboratory methods were used to detect anti- S. neurona antibodies among the studies.…”

Donkey Internal Medicine—Part II: Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Neurologic, Urinary, Ophthalmic, Dermatology, and Musculoskeletal Disorders

“…Equine emerging tick-borne neurological diseases has been reported in donkeys (because tick bites are highly prevalent in this species due to their common extensive management). Neosporosis has been described all over the world, from Europe [92] to South America [93,94]. Lyme disease (Borrelia spp.)…”

A review of Sarcocystis spp. shed by opossums (Didelphis spp.) in Brazil

“…A recent study reported the results of serological survey of antibodies against S. neurona in sera of 333 donkeys from the northeastern region of Brazil (Alagoas, Paraíba, Pernanbuco, Piauí and Rio Grande do Norte). Antibodies to S. neurona were found in ten donkeys (3%) of the samples tested by IFAT and in 69 donkeys (21%) by the direct agglutination test (SAT) (GENNARI et al, 2016). The SAT and IFAT results for S. neurona showed a poor concordance in this study, which might be due to the lack of a comprehensive study of sensitivity and specificity of the SAT in equids (DUBEY et al, 2001a(DUBEY et al, , 2015b and lack of knowledge about cross-reactivity in both tests with other protozoa that can infect donkeys (GENNARI et al, 2016).…”