Seroprevalence of Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi in healthy horses from the province of Alberta, Canada.

EPM agents detected in Alberta horses; commercial tests show poor agreement, limiting diagnostic reliability.

This cross-sectional study investigated the seroprevalence of Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi in 116 apparently healthy horses that had always resided in Alberta, Canada, using serum samples collected during 2021-2022. Multiple immunodiagnostic tests were employed: indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), ELISA assays, and western blot for S. neurona confirmation. Results demonstrated 26/116 horses positive on S. neurona IFAT, 4/116 on ELISA, and 5/30 on western blot, with poor agreement between methods. For N. hughesi, 18/116 were positive on IFAT and 2/116 on ELISA, with no horses testing positive on both methods. The findings suggest potential exposure of Alberta's equine population to these EPM-causing pathogens; however, the commercially available serological tests exhibited low sensitivities and poor concordance. This discordance raises important questions about test reliability and interpretation in apparently healthy populations, highlighting the need for improved diagnostic protocols and standardization of EPM screening methods in Canadian horses.

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