Zoonosis of public health interest in slaughtered Brazilian equidae

The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of Trichinella spp. in the musculature and anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in the serum of equidae slaughtered at two abattoir-cold storage facilities licensed by the brazilian Federal Inspection Service. Masseter muscle and blood samples were collected from 398 animals of both sexes and different ages originating from six different Brazilian states. The serum samples were subjected to the Indirect Fluorescence Antibody Test for T. gondii (IFAT >= 64) obtaining 46 (11.6%) samples reagent. For Leptospira spp. antibody quantification, the serum samples were tested by microscopic seroagglutination test (MAT >= 100), and 123 (30.9%) reagent results were obtained. It was possible to identify the most likely infecting serovar in 95 samples (77.2%): Hardjo (26.3%) and Autumnalis (12.6%) were the ones most prevalent. None of the 398 masseter muscle samples analyzed revealed any presence of Trichinella spp. larvae. The slaughtered equidae that were investigated were probably exposed to the etiologic agents of toxoplasmosis and leptospirosis, but they did not present Trichinella infection.