A serosurvey of selected cystogenic coccidia in Spanish equids: first detection of anti-Besnoitia spp. specific antibodies in Europe.
Authors: Gutiérrez-Expósito Daniel, García-Bocanegra Ignacio, Howe Daniel K, Arenas-Montes Antonio, Yeargan Michelle R, Ness SallyAnne L, Ortega-Mora Luis M, Álvarez-García G
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Editorial Summary Spanish researchers conducted the first European serosurvey documenting exposure to Besnoitia spp. in equids, alongside screening for Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi—three protozoal parasites previously considered primarily a concern in the Americas. Serum samples from 553 horses, 85 donkeys, and 83 mules across southern Spain were analysed using in-house ELISAs targeting specific recombinant surface antigens (N. hughesi rNhSAG1 and S. neurona rSnSAG2/3/4), with Besnoitia spp. results confirmed by western blot to eliminate false positives. Importantly, anti-Besnoitia spp. antibodies were detected in Spanish equids for the first time in Europe, establishing that B. bennetti—the causative agent of equine besnoitiosis—has a broader geographical distribution than previously recognised, whilst the study also identified risk factors associated with exposure to these three parasites. This finding has significant implications for equine practitioners across Europe, suggesting that neurological presentations and chronic wasting conditions attributed to other causes may warrant investigation for these protozoal infections, and that imported animals or those with unknown epidemiological histories warrant particular scrutiny.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Besnoitia bennetti is present in Europe and should be considered in differential diagnoses for Spanish equids; practitioners should be aware of this emerging disease threat outside the Americas
- •Serology testing using ELISA with western blot confirmation is a reliable diagnostic approach for detecting these protozoal infections in field conditions
- •Understanding risk factors for these infections can guide preventive management strategies in endemic regions
Key Findings
- •First detection of anti-Besnoitia spp. specific antibodies in Europe in Spanish equine population
- •Serosurvey of 553 horses, 85 donkeys, and 83 mules identified cystogenic coccidia infections in Southern Spain
- •ELISA and western blot confirmation methods successfully identified Besnoitia spp., Neospora spp., and Sarcocystis spp. infections
- •Risk factors associated with protozoan infections were identified in the studied equine population