Exploring the possible link between toxoplasmosis and crib-biting behavior in horse farms of Shiraz: a case, control study

• Published in: Journal of zoonotic diseases (Online) Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 503 - 508
• Main Authors: Arash Omidi, Saeed Nazifi, Reza Jafari
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Tabriz 01-04-2024
• Subjects: crib-biting horses; elisa; iran; toxoplasmosis
• ISSN: 2717-2910
• DOI: 10.22034/jzd.2024.17839

Toxoplasma is an intracellular parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis in humans and animals. In this disease, parasitic cysts of Toxoplasma gondii can remain present in various tissues such as the brain throughout the host's life. The potential role of toxoplasmosis should be considered in many neurological diseases with unknown mechanisms. In horses, behavioral disorders like crib-biting have multifactorial causes and may be due to neurophysiological dysfunction. This research aimed to determine the role of toxoplasmosis in the manifestation of crib-biting behavior in horses. A casecontrol study was conducted in horse riding clubs in Fars province, Iran, near the city of Shiraz. Ten horses with crib-biting behavior and 10 clinically healthy horses matched for sex, age, and breed were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were collected from cribbers and healthy horses, along with a thorough history-taking. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed on sera to detect T. gondii-specific Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Immunoglobulin M (IgM). The results of this study revealed that all horses were free of toxoplasmosis. It is concluded that this relation was not detected in the horse farms of Shiraz suburbs. Further research is required to explore more aspects of crib-biting behavior and its relationship with causative factors.