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Seroprevalence and risk factors of Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii infections among horses and donkeys in Nigeria, West Africa

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Abstract

Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are considered to be a globally distributed parasites affecting wide range of warmblooded animals. Neosporosis has caused clinical illness in horses and consumption of horse meat has been epidemiologically linked to clinical toxoplasmosis in humans. This study was conducted to determine Neospora spp. and T. gondii antibodies and risk factors of infection in horses and donkeys from three states of Nigeria. A total of 144 samples were collected from clinically healthy animals (120 horses and 24 donkeys). The sera were tested for antibodies to Neospora spp. and T. gondii by indirect fluorescence antibody test, a titer ≥ 50 was considered positive. Seroprevalence data were statistically analyzed, considering the variables of gender, age, use, state, origin of breed and type of management. Antibodies to Neospora spp. and T. gondii were detected in 8% horses with titers 50 and in 24% horses with titers 50–800, respectively. Co-infection of both parasites was proved in three horses (3%). Statistical differences were found only for T. gondii seroprevalence in horses with different use, locality, origin and management (p-value ≤ 0.05). Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in four (17%) of 24 donkeys with statistical difference (p-value ≤ 0.05) in animals of different use; antibodies to Neospora spp. were not proved in any of the donkeys. This is the first seroprevalence study of Neospora spp. and T. gondii in equids from Nigeria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, Brno, 61242, Czech Republic

    Eva Bártová & Kateřina Kobédová

  2. Department of Virology and Serology, State Veterinary Institute Prague, Sídlištní 136/24, 165 03 Prague 6, Czech Republic

    Kamil Sedlák

  3. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, 61137, Czech Republic

    Marie Budíková

  4. NVRI Outstation Investigation Laboratory Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria

    Yakubu Joel Atuman

  5. Parasitology Division, National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) PMB 01 Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria

    Joshua Kamani

Authors
  1. Eva Bártová
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  2. Kamil Sedlák
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  3. Kateřina Kobédová
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  4. Marie Budíková
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  5. Yakubu Joel Atuman
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  6. Joshua Kamani
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Correspondence to Eva Bártová.

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Bártová, E., Sedlák, K., Kobédová, K. et al. Seroprevalence and risk factors of Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii infections among horses and donkeys in Nigeria, West Africa. Acta Parasit. 62, 606–609 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1515/ap-2017-0073

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ap-2017-0073

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