Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, Vol 5, Issue 1, 88-90
Copyright © 1993 by American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis: antigen analysis of cultured Sarcocystis neurona merozoites
DE Granstrom,
JP Dubey,
SW Davis,
R Fayer,
JC Fox,
KB Poonacha,
RC Giles,
and
PF Comer
Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546-0099.
Antigens of cultured Sarcocystis neurona merozoites were examined using immunoblot analysis. Blotted proteins were probed with S. cruzi, S. muris, and S. neurona antisera produced in rabbits, S. fayeri (pre- and post-infection) and S. neurona (pre- and post-inoculation) sera produced in horses, immune sera from 7 histologically confirmed cases of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), and pre-suckle serum from a newborn foal. Eight proteins, 70, 24, 23.5, 22.5, 13, 11, 10.5, and 10 Kd, were detected only by S. neurona antiserum and/or immune serum from EPM-affected horses. Equine sera were titered by the indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) method using air-dried, cultured S. neurona merozoites. Anti-Sarcocystis IFA titers were found in horses with or without EPM. Serum titers did not correspond to the number of specific bands recognized on immunoblots.
