title: Detection of Neospora sp. antibodies in cart horses from urban areas of Curitiba, Southern Brazil.
abstract: Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite which affects dogs as definitive hosts and several mammalian species as intermediate hosts mainly causing abortions and central nervous system disorders. The reemerging population of cart horses for carrying recycling material in urban areas of major cities in Brazil may have an impact on disease spreading, and these animals may be used as sentinels for environmental surveillance. Thus, the present study investigated the frequency of Neospora sp. antibodies in cart horses from Curitiba and surrounding areas, Paraná State, Southern Brazil. IgG antibodies against Neospora sp. were detected using indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT), and titers equal to or higher than 1:50 were considered reactive. Of all samples, 14/97 (14.4%) were positive: 2/29 (6.9%) were younger than 5; 5/26 (19.2%) between 6 and 9; and 6/31 (19.4%) older than 10 years of age. One of the 11 animals with unknown age was positive (9.1%). Cart horses are likely to be more exposed to dog feces and to Neospora sp. oocyst contamination in urban settings and a lower frequency of disease in dogs may have a negative impact on horse infection risk in these areas.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Raiva e Encefalites Virais, Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Sanidade Animal, Instituto Biológico, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eliana Monteforte Cassaro
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Villalobos
authors.forename: Keiko Endo
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Furman
authors.forename: Maria do Carmo Custódio de Souza Hunold
authors.initials: Mdo C
authors.lastname: Lara
authors.forename: Elenice Maria Sequetin
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Mariane Angélica
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Finger
authors.forename: Ana Paula Brenner
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.forename: Ivan Roque
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: de Barros Filho
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Deconto
authors.forename: Peterson Triches
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Dornbusch
authors.forename: Alexander Welker
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Biondo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil; D002353:Carrier State; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology*; D014186:Transportation; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan