title: Prevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in cats from Virginia and Pennsylvania.
abstract: Sarcocystis neurona is best known as the causative agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis of horses in the Americas. Domestic cats ( Felis domesticus ) were the first animals described as an intermediate host for S. neurona . However, S. neurona -associated encephalitis has also been reported in naturally infected cats in the United States. Thus, cats can be implicated in the life cycle of S. neurona as natural intermediate hosts. The present study examined the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to merozoites of S. neurona in populations of domestic cats from Virginia and Pennsylvania. Overall, sera or plasma from 441 cats (Virginia = 232, Pennsylvania = 209) were tested by an indirect immunofluorescent assay at a 1ratio50 dilution. Antibodies to S. neurona were found in 32 (7%) of 441 cats. Of these, 22 (9%) of the 232 cats from Virginia and 10 (5%) of the 209 cats from Pennsylvania were seropositive for S. neurona .
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0342, USA.
authors.forename: Vasha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zajac
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lindsay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D002415:Cats; D004199:Disease Vectors; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012522:Sarcocystis / Q000276:immunology*; D012523:Sarcocystosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014768:Virginia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan