The role of wild ruminants as reservoirs of Besnoitia besnoiti infection in cattle

Gutiérrez-Expósito, Daniel; Arnal, María Cruz; Martínez-Durán, David; Regidor‐Cerrillo, Javier; Revilla, Miguel; Luco, Daniel L Fernández de; Jiménez-Meléndez, Alejandro; Calero‐Bernal, Rafael; Habela, M.; García‐Bocanegra, Ignacio; Arenas-Montes, Antonio; Ortega‐Mora, Luis Miguel; Álvarez‐García, Gema

doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.04.005

Cited by 28 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…in European equids. The diagnostic approach (i.e., an initial screening by ELISA followed by a confirmatory western blot) was previously used in serosurveys conducted in the absence of a panel of reference sera and a gold standard test [11, 16] using sera from clinically Besnoitia spp.-infected donkeys as a positive control [13, 23]. Additionally, serological cross-reactions with antibodies against Neospora spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Seroprevalence rates of Besnoitia spp. infection in other ungulate species of Spain of 1% (2/2608) and 0% (0/2285) have been reported in wild and small domestic ruminants, respectively, in areas where bovine besnoitiosis is highly endemic [11, 33]. However, whether equids may be reservoirs or intermediate hosts of B. besnoiti should be further elucidated through molecular genotyping [34].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, neither parasitic disease had been not previously diagnosed in Europe. Further parasite detection and molecular genotyping are needed to clarify the presence and identity of these three parasite species [11]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Apart from B. bennetti , two additional Besnoitia species ( B. besnoiti and B. tarandi ) also affect ungulates (i.e., bovines and cervidae) causing similar clinical signs and have been reported in Europe [7]. Besnoitiosis caused by B. tarandi has been documented in reindeer in the Artic regions [8], whereas besnoitiosis caused by B. besnoiti is a re-emergent cattle disease in western and Central Europe and has also been recently reported in roe deer and red deer in Spain [9–11]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

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A serosurvey of selected cystogenic coccidia in Spanish equids: first detection of anti-Besnoitia spp. specific antibodies in Europe

et al. 2017

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BackgroundEquine 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.ResultsAntibodies 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.ConclusionsThis 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.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-017-1046-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

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A serosurvey of selected cystogenic coccidia in Spanish equids: first detection of anti-Besnoitia spp. specific antibodies in Europe

et al. 2017

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“…Genotyping was performed using two complementary techniques. First, the six MS loci were examined using previously described primers (Madubata et al., ) and the amplification of MS was performed as previously described (Gutiérrez‐Expósito et al., ). Tissue samples from the roe deer and donkey together with B. tarandi and Bb‐Spain 1 isolates were included in this analysis (Table S1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systemic Besnoitiosis in a Juvenile Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus )

Arnal

Gutiérrez-Expósito

Martínez-Durán

et al. 2016

Transbound Emerg Dis

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Herein, we report the first incidence of systemic besnoitiosis in a male juvenile roe deer Capreolus capreolus. The animal was found dead in an area where bovine besnoitiosis is endemic and showed cachexia and multiple skin erosions in the metacarpal and metatarsal areas. Moreover, round and elevated white structures suggestive of Besnoitia spp. tissue cysts were also present. Twenty-eight tissue samples from different anatomical locations were collected for microscopic lesion and parasite detection through histopathology and PCR. Immunohistochemistry was performed to confirm Besnoitia-positive reaction in the tissue cysts. In addition, the identity of Besnoitia spp. in PCR-positive tissue samples was also investigated using microsatellite (MS) markers, and the comparison of protein disulphide isomerase gene sequences (BbPDI) of B. besnoiti and B. tarandi isolated from cattle and reindeer, respectively. Besnoitia cysts were detected in the skin (several parts), respiratory and upper digestive tracts, eyes, kidney, liver, testicle, cardiac muscle and lymphoid tissue. Remarkably, the presence of tissue cysts in the brain confirmed the capacity of Besnoitia spp. to form tissue cysts in the central nervous system (CNS). Finally, the Besnoitia species detected showed the same MS genotype as B. besnoiti, and BbPDI sequences from roe deer and two B. besnoiti isolates were genetically identical throughout multiple sequence alignment. Thus, for the first time, there is evidence that roe deer might act as an intermediate host of B. besnoiti. Further molecular analyses and parasite isolations are needed to corroborate these findings.

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