Experimental toxoplasmosis in pregnant mares: clinical signs, parasitemia and immunological observations

Abstract

Nine pregnant mares were orally inoculated with sporuiated Toxoplasma gondii oocysts and three other were maintained as controls. The oocysts used were obtained by infecting susceptible cats, which received viable cysts from chronic infected mice with the Toxoplasma gondii "P" strain. The clinical signs, observed in experimentally infected mares, consisted of hyperthermia, lack of appetite, prostration, diarrhea, ocular mucous discharge and nasal serous discharge. At three clays post, inoculation leocopenia was observed. Parasitemia of Toxoplasma gondii was detected from two to 47 DPI. The humoral immune response appeared at the 10° DPI and its highest average level (1:16384) occurred after the 20° DPI.