Abstract
Objective - To determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against Coccidioides immitis in healthy horses residing in an area in which the organism is endemic. Design - Prospective study. Animals - 197 healthy horses (in which coccidioidomycosis had not been previously diagnosed) that resided in an area of Arizona in which coccidioidomycosis is endemic. Procedure - Of the horses evaluated at the Arizona Equine Medical and Surgical Center during a 6-month period, 197 with no clinical signs of coccidioidomycosis were randomly selected for inclusion in the study; sera were evaluated for IgM and IgG antibodies against C immitis via an immunodiffusion assay (IgG-positive samples were assessed quantitatively). Within 6 months, recheck titer evaluations were attempted for all seropositive horses. Results - Serum antibodies against C immitis were detected in 8 of 197 horses (seroprevalence, 4.06%). Results of serologic assays were positive for IgG antibodies and negative for IgM antibodies in 7 horses and positive for both IgG and IgM antibodies in 1 horse; reciprocal serum IgG antibody titers were low (none > 8). Follow-up serologic data were obtained from 5 horses; compared with initial findings, horses had become seronegative or titers were unchanged or decreased. Duration of residence in the area was significantly shorter for seropositive horses than for seronegative horses. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance - Serum antibodies against C immitis may rarely be detected in healthy horses residing in an area in which the disease is endemic; any horse with a detectable serum antibody titer should be reevaluated after an interval of at least 3 weeks.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1888-1892 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association |
| Volume | 226 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 1 2005 |
Fingerprint
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- veterinary(all)
Cite this
Seroprevalence of antibodies against Coccidioides immitis in healthy horses. / Higgins, Jill C.; Leith, Gayle S.; Voss, Ed D.; Pappagianis, Demosthenes.
In: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 226, No. 11, 01.06.2005, p. 1888-1892.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Seroprevalence of antibodies against Coccidioides immitis in healthy horses
AU - Higgins, Jill C.
AU - Leith, Gayle S.
AU - Voss, Ed D.
AU - Pappagianis, Demosthenes
PY - 2005/6/1
Y1 - 2005/6/1
N2 - Objective - To determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against Coccidioides immitis in healthy horses residing in an area in which the organism is endemic. Design - Prospective study. Animals - 197 healthy horses (in which coccidioidomycosis had not been previously diagnosed) that resided in an area of Arizona in which coccidioidomycosis is endemic. Procedure - Of the horses evaluated at the Arizona Equine Medical and Surgical Center during a 6-month period, 197 with no clinical signs of coccidioidomycosis were randomly selected for inclusion in the study; sera were evaluated for IgM and IgG antibodies against C immitis via an immunodiffusion assay (IgG-positive samples were assessed quantitatively). Within 6 months, recheck titer evaluations were attempted for all seropositive horses. Results - Serum antibodies against C immitis were detected in 8 of 197 horses (seroprevalence, 4.06%). Results of serologic assays were positive for IgG antibodies and negative for IgM antibodies in 7 horses and positive for both IgG and IgM antibodies in 1 horse; reciprocal serum IgG antibody titers were low (none > 8). Follow-up serologic data were obtained from 5 horses; compared with initial findings, horses had become seronegative or titers were unchanged or decreased. Duration of residence in the area was significantly shorter for seropositive horses than for seronegative horses. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance - Serum antibodies against C immitis may rarely be detected in healthy horses residing in an area in which the disease is endemic; any horse with a detectable serum antibody titer should be reevaluated after an interval of at least 3 weeks.
AB - Objective - To determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against Coccidioides immitis in healthy horses residing in an area in which the organism is endemic. Design - Prospective study. Animals - 197 healthy horses (in which coccidioidomycosis had not been previously diagnosed) that resided in an area of Arizona in which coccidioidomycosis is endemic. Procedure - Of the horses evaluated at the Arizona Equine Medical and Surgical Center during a 6-month period, 197 with no clinical signs of coccidioidomycosis were randomly selected for inclusion in the study; sera were evaluated for IgM and IgG antibodies against C immitis via an immunodiffusion assay (IgG-positive samples were assessed quantitatively). Within 6 months, recheck titer evaluations were attempted for all seropositive horses. Results - Serum antibodies against C immitis were detected in 8 of 197 horses (seroprevalence, 4.06%). Results of serologic assays were positive for IgG antibodies and negative for IgM antibodies in 7 horses and positive for both IgG and IgM antibodies in 1 horse; reciprocal serum IgG antibody titers were low (none > 8). Follow-up serologic data were obtained from 5 horses; compared with initial findings, horses had become seronegative or titers were unchanged or decreased. Duration of residence in the area was significantly shorter for seropositive horses than for seronegative horses. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance - Serum antibodies against C immitis may rarely be detected in healthy horses residing in an area in which the disease is endemic; any horse with a detectable serum antibody titer should be reevaluated after an interval of at least 3 weeks.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=19744368827&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=19744368827&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2460/javma.2005.226.1888
DO - 10.2460/javma.2005.226.1888
M3 - Article
C2 - 15934257
AN - SCOPUS:19744368827
VL - 226
SP - 1888
EP - 1892
JO - Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
JF - Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
SN - 0003-1488
IS - 11
ER -