title: Prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody in domestic horses in Japan.
abstract: The present study is the first report that investigated the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic horses in various prefectures of Japan and analyzed risk factors for seropositivity. We performed a latex agglutination test for riding/racing horses from 11 prefectures in Japan (783 samples) and 4 groups of Japanese native horses (254 samples). The total seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii antibody in horses examined in this study was 4.24% (44/1037). As for riding/racing horses, we did not find a statistically different T. gondii seroprevalence between sampling prefectures. In contrast, seroprevalence of T. gondii in older horses (>21 years) was significantly higher than that in younger horses (<5 years and 11-15 years). There was no significant difference in T. gondii seroprevalence between riding/racing horses and Japanese native horses. Logistical regression analysis revealed that age, but not sex and usage, is a significant risk factor of T. gondii infection for domestic horses in Japan. These findings suggest that domesticated horses in Japan can be horizontally infected with T. gondii by ingestion of food or water contaminated with oocysts.
authors.affiliation: Transboundary Animal Diseases Research Center, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Korimoto 1-21-24, Kagoshima, Japan. Electronic address: masatani@vet.kagoshima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tatsunori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masatani
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Parasitological Diseases, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Yanagido 1-1, Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takashima
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Theriogenology, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Yanagido 1-1, Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takasu
authors.affiliation: Transboundary Animal Diseases Research Center, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Korimoto 1-21-24, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsuu
authors.affiliation: Yamatokohgen Animal Medical Clinic, Habikino, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Amaya
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006736:Horses; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D033661:Oocysts; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Horses; Japan; Seroprevalence; Toxoplasma gondii