title: Serological investigation of transplacental infection with Neospora hughesi and Sarcocystis neurona in broodmares.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the likelihood of transplacental transmission of Neospora hughesi and Sarcocystis neurona in foals, born from seropositive mares. Three broodmares with persistent N. hughesi infection gave birth to eight healthy foals over a period of 7 years. These foals were seropositive to N. hughesi prior to colostrum ingestion, with titers ranging between 640 and 20,480, measured by indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Of 174 foals born at another farm to mares with a high seroprevalence to S. neurona, only one (with a pre-colostrum antibody titer of 80) tested seropositive. Transplacental transmission of N. hughesi seems to occur from latently infected mares to their foals, while this route of transmission does not seem to occur commonly for S. neurona.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA. Electronic address: npusterla@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pusterla
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mackie
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Packham
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Conrad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000469:parasitology*; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D003126:Colostrum / Q000469:parasitology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D006736:Horses; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000662:veterinary*; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D012522:Sarcocystis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012523:Sarcocystosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012699:Serology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Horse; Indirect fluorescence antibody test; Neospora hughesi; Sarcocystis neurona; Transplacental infection