Prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody in domestic horses in Japan

• Published in: Parasitology international Vol. 65; no. 2; pp. 146 - 150
• Main Authors: Masatani, Tatsunori, Takashima, Yasuhiro, Takasu, Masaki, Matsuu, Aya, Amaya, Tomohiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.04.2016
• Subjects: Age Factors; Animals; antibodies; Antibodies, Protozoan - blood; Antibodies, Protozoan - immunology; Disease Transmission, Infectious - veterinary; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Horse Diseases - epidemiology; Horses; Infectious Disease; ingestion; Japan; Japan - epidemiology; latex agglutination test; Latex Fixation Tests; Oocysts; Prevalence; racehorses; regression analysis; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Seroprevalence; Toxoplasma - immunology; Toxoplasma gondii; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - epidemiology; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - immunology; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - parasitology; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - transmission; water pollution; Japan; Horses; Toxoplasma gondii; Japan; Seroprevalence
• ISSN: 1383-5769; 1873-0329; 1873-0329
• DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2015.11.006

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 (>21years) was significantly higher than that in younger horses (<5years and 11–15years). 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. [Display omitted] •T. gondii infection in domestic horses in various prefectures of Japan was tested.•Total seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii antibody in horses was 4.24% (44/1037).•Age is a risk factor of T. gondii infection for domestic horses in Japan.