Prevalence of antibodies to Leishmania infantum and Toxoplasma gondii in horses from the north of Portugal

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Ana Patricia Lopes (Author) Other; Susana Sousa (Author) Other; Dubey, JP (Author) Other; Ana J Ribeiro (Author) Other; Ricardo Silvestre (Author) Other; Mario Cotovio (Author) Other; Henk D F H Schallig (Author) Other; Luis Cardoso (Author) Other; Anabela Cordeiro da Silva (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Parasites & Vectors

Vol. 6

Final page: 178

ISSN: 1756-3305

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 15 Citations

Scopus - 28 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-006-A1P

DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-178

Abstract (EN): Background: Leishmania infantum and Toxoplasma gondii are protozoa with zoonotic and economic importance. Prevalences of antibodies to these agents were assessed in 173 horses from the north of Portugal. Findings: Antibodies to L. infantum were detected by the direct agglutination test (DAT); seven (4.0%) horses were seropositive with DAT titres of 200 (n = 5), 800 (n = 1) and >= 1600 (n = 1). Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT); 23 (13.3%) horses were seropositive with MAT titres of 20 (n = 13), 40 (n = 5), 80 (n = 3) and >= 160 (n = 2). No statistical differences were found among equine categories of gender (female, male and gelding), age (1.5-6, 7-12 and 13-30 years), type of housing (indoors and mixed/outdoors), ability (recreation, farming and sports) and clinical status (apparently healthy and sick) for both agents. Conclusions: Horses are exposed to and may be infected with L. infantum and T. gondii in the north of Portugal.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 4