Talafha Abdelsalam Q, Abutarbush Sameeh M, Rutley David L
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan.
School of Animal and Veterinary Science, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Korean J Parasitol. 2015 Apr;53(2):163-7. doi: 10.3347/kjp.2015.53.2.163. Epub 2015 Apr 22.
This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and to identify risk factors associated with Neospora spp. infection in horses in Jordan. Management related data were collected from each farm and individual horses. Sera from 227 horses from 5 of 6 climatic regions in Jordan were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to Neospora spp. by ELISA kit. The study was performed during spring of 2010. The association between seropositivity and risk factors was analyzed. A total of 7 (3%) of 227 sera had antibodies for Neospora spp. There was a significant regional difference (P=0.018) between the 5 climatic regions. Positive cases were located in Amman and Irbid, while the other regions (Zarqa, Jordan Valley, and Wadi Mousa) had zero prevalence. The use of anthelmintics at least once a year resulted in a significant reduction of the seroprevalence to Neospora spp. (1.6% vs 9.8%). However, this might be a phenomenon by chance and a better hygiene since owners can invest in anthelmintics. Other risk factors such as age, gender, breed, usage, body condition score, grazing, presence of other animals mixed with the horses in the same property, and a history of previous diseases were not significantly associated with the seroprevalence to Neospora spp. infection. This is the first study to report on the presence of Neospora seropositive horses in Jordan. Further studies are warranted to better understand the role of certain risk factors in the transmission of Neospora spp. among horse population and to determine which Neospora spp. are responsible for the infection.
本研究旨在确定约旦马匹中新孢子虫属感染的血清阳性率，并识别与之相关的风险因素。收集了每个农场和每匹马的管理相关数据。使用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）试剂盒，对来自约旦6个气候区域中5个区域的227匹马的血清进行分析，以检测新孢子虫属抗体的存在。该研究于2010年春季进行。分析了血清阳性与风险因素之间的关联。227份血清中共有7份（3%）含有新孢子虫属抗体。5个气候区域之间存在显著的区域差异（P = 0.018）。阳性病例位于安曼和伊尔比德，而其他区域（扎尔卡、约旦河谷和瓦迪穆萨）的患病率为零。每年至少使用一次驱虫药可使新孢子虫属的血清阳性率显著降低（1.6%对9.8%）。然而，这可能是偶然现象，也可能是由于主人能够购买驱虫药从而卫生条件更好所致。其他风险因素，如年龄、性别、品种、用途、身体状况评分、放牧、同一养殖场中与马混养的其他动物的存在以及既往疾病史，与新孢子虫属感染的血清阳性率均无显著关联。这是首次报道约旦存在新孢子虫血清阳性马匹的研究。有必要进行进一步研究，以更好地了解某些风险因素在新孢子虫属在马群中传播的作用，并确定哪些新孢子虫属导致了感染。
