Horses seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis spp. and Neospora spp.: Possible risk factors for infection in Brazil

Occurrence of anti Sarcocystis spp., anti Toxoplasma gondii, and anti Neospora spp. antibodies in equines from western Santa Catarina, Brazil

“…(Antonello et al, 2016), 64 for T. gondii, and 50 for Neospora spp. (Cazarotto et al, 2016) were considered positive. The slides were read using an Optiphase INV-403 epi-fluorescence microscope at a 400X magnification, considering positive the samples with fluorescence at the edge of merozoites or tachyzoites.…”

“…are intracellular parasites that belong to the phylum Apicomplexa and can affect different hosts. Infections with these protozoa are described in equines, often underdiagnosed, since most equines are asymptomatic, with no neurological or reproductive changes (Cazarotto et al, 2016). The infections are directly related to the animal raising environments and the presence of the respective definitive hosts on the farms, i.e., opossums for S. neurona, felids for T. gondii, and canids for Neospora spp.…”

“…The worldwide seroprevalence of S. neurona ranges from 0% to 89.2% (Dubey et al, 2015). In Brazil, there are reports in the states of Minas Gerais (26%) (Ribeiro et al, 2016), Roraima (42%) (Spohr et al, 2018), and Santa Catarina, where Cazarotto et al (2016) found 41.37% of seropositive animals. Neurological clinical conditions in equines can also be associated eventually with infections by the protozoa T. gondii and Neospora spp.…”

“…The worldwide seroprevalence of T. gondii in equines ranges from 0% to 72.2% (Meng, Li, Yao, Cong & Shan, 2018). Studies carried out in Brazil have demonstrated variation of seropositive animals in different regions, with values of 12.5% in the Northeast region (Guerra et al, 2018), 7.8% in Paraíba (Oliveira et al, 2012), and 14.4% in Alagoas (Valença et al, 2015); 17.0% in Paraná (Finger et al, 2013) and 32.1% in Santa Catarina (South region) (Cazarotto et al, 2016); 19.9% in Minas Gerais (Southwest region) (Ribeiro et al, 2016); and 18.5% in Roraima (North region) (Spohr et al, 2018).…”

Função da galectina-1 na resistência do hospedeiro contra a infecção experimental por Neospora caninum

“…Os hospedeiros definitivos reportados na literatura são os canídeos, a saber, cães (Canis familiaris) (MCALLISTER et al, 1998), coiote (Canis latrans) (GONDIM et al, 2004), dingo (Canis dingo) (KING et al, 2010) e lobo cinza (Canis lupus) (DUBEY et al, 2011). No Brasil, o parasita está disseminado por todo o país (GONDIM et al, 2001), verificado através da soropositividade em bovinos de vários estados brasileiros, além de caprinos, cães, canídeos silvestres, gatos, ovinos, búfalos, cavalos, capivaras e jumentos ( FUJII et al, 2001;FERNANDES et al, 2004;GUIMARÃES et al, 2004;GENNARI et al, 2005GENNARI et al, , 2016YAI et al, 2008;SCHARES, 2011;MORAES et al, 2011;JOSUÉ PIRES et al, 2014;RAIMUNDO et al, 2015;CAZAROTTO et al, 2016).…”