title: Low Seroprevalence of Leishmania infantum and Toxoplasma gondii in the Horse Population in Israel.
abstract: A cross-sectional investigation was done on the seroprevalence of Leishmania infantum and Toxoplasma gondii infection among apparently healthy horses in Israel. This survey included 383 horses distributed in 22 farms throughout Israel during the years 2011-2013. Serum samples were tested for the presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using the direct agglutination test (DAT) specific to Leishmania and by the modified agglutination test (MAT) for the presence of IgG antibodies to T. gondii. Low seroprevalences were detected for both L. infantum and T. gondii in the horse population in Israel; of the 338 horses tested, 6 (1.4%) were found to be seropositive for L. infantum and 11 (2.5%) for T. gondii, with no significant association between seroprevalence and demographic/environmental factors. An ongoing geographical expansion of L. infantum, previously reported in humans and dogs in Israel, was also supported by our results in horses. Here we present evidence of exposure of horses to L. infantum and T. gondii in Israel. Continuous seroprevalence surveillance in horses, such as the one performed in this study, might further elucidate the eco-epidemiology of these two important zoonotic parasites in this country.
authors.affiliation: 1 Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University , Rehovot, Israel .
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aharonson-Raz
authors.affiliation: 1 Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University , Rehovot, Israel .
authors.forename: Gad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baneth
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Veterinary Sciences and Animal and Veterinary Research Centre, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD) , Vila Real, Portugal .
authors.forename: Ana Patrícia
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: 3 Veterinary Clinic of Covilhã , Quinta das Ferreiras, Boidobra, Covilhã, Portugal .|4 Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior , Covilhã, Portugal .|5 Agrarian College, Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco , Castelo Branco, Portugal .
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brancal
authors.affiliation: 6 Department of Biomedical Research, Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT)/Royal Tropical Institute , Amsterdam, The Netherlands .
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schallig
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Veterinary Sciences and Animal and Veterinary Research Centre, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD) , Vila Real, Portugal .
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: 1 Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University , Rehovot, Israel .
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinman
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006736:Horses; D007557:Israel; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Horse; Israel; Leishmania infantum; Seroprevalence; Toxoplasma gondii