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. 2025 Jun 20;34(2):e000125.
doi: 10.1590/S1984-29612025032. eCollection 2025.

Trypanosoma evansi in Brazil: first evidence of infection in equines from Northeast region

Jordeano Araujo Sousa  1 , Leandro Macedo Miranda  1 , Danielle Jordany Barros Coutinho  1 , Thaliane França Costa  1 , Sidilene Pereira Costa  1 , Úrsula Silva Freitas  1 , Francisco Borges Costa  1 , Rosangela Zacarias Machado  2 , Rita de Maria Seabra Nogueira  1 , Andréa Pereira da Costa  1
Affiliations

Trypanosoma evansi in Brazil: first evidence of infection in equines from Northeast region

Jordeano Araujo Sousa et al. Rev Bras Parasitol Vet. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

The hemoprotozoan Trypanosoma evansi is a parasite that infects mammals, causing an infection known as trypanosomiasis. There is no report of T. evansi in horses in the State of Maranhão, highlighting the need to assess exposure and infection by the parasite and generate data for its monitoring. The objectives of this study were to identify T. evansi in blood samples from horses, investigate its occurrence in horses in this region, and analyze the associated risk factors. Three hundred blood samples were collected for parasitological (blood smear), serological (indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - ELISA), and molecular (polymerase chain reaction - PCR) diagnostic purposes. No trypomastigote forms of T. evansi were observed in the examined blood smears. Serological examined of 209 samples revealed that 33.01% (69/209) were positive for anti-T. evansi antibodies. No variable was identified as a risk factor. Among the 300 samples submitted to PCR, 1% (3/300) were positive, and sequencing showed 100% similarity with T. evansi species. The study identified exposure and infection of horses by T. evansi in Maranhão, expanding its geographic distribution in the country and highlighting the importance of periodic testing.

O hemoprotozoário Trypanosoma evansi é um parasito que infecta mamíferos, desencadeando uma infecção chamada tripanosomose. No estado do Maranhão, nordeste do Brasil, não há relatos de T. evansi em cavalos, destacando a necessidade de avaliar a exposição e infecção pelo parasita e gerar dados para seu monitoramento. Os objetivos deste estudo foram identificar T. evansi em amostras sanguíneas de equinos, investigar sua ocorrência em cavalos dessa região e analisar os fatores de risco associados. Foram coletadas 300 amostras de sangue para fins de diagnóstico parasitológico (esfregaço sanguíneo), sorológico (ensaio imunoenzimático indireto - ELISA) e molecular (reação em cadeia pela polimerase - PCR). Nenhuma forma tripomastigota de T. evansi foi observada nos esfregaços sanguíneos examinados. A análise sorológica em 209 amostras detectou que 33,01% (69/209) apresentaram anticorpos anti-T. evansi. Nenhuma variável foi identificada como fator de risco. Entre as 300 amostras submetidas à PCR, 1% (3/300) apresentaram resultado positivo e, após sequenciamento, revelaram 100% de similaridade com amostras de T. evansi. O estudo revelou a exposição e infecção de cavalos por T. evansi no Maranhão, expandindo sua distribuição geográfica no país e destacando a importância de testes periódicos

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Map showing the municipalities in Maranhão State, Brazil, where the presence of Trypanosoma evansi was investigated in equines.
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