Exposure to Brucella Species, Coxiella burnetii, and Trichinella Species in Recently Imported Camels from Sudan to Egypt: Possible Threats to Animal and Human Health

Brucellosis and coxiellosis/Q fever are bacterial infections caused by Brucella species and Coxiella burnetii, respectively; camels are highly susceptible to both pathogens. Trichinellosis is a parasitic infection caused by various Trichinella nematode species. Reportedly, camels are susceptible to experimental infection with Trichinella spp., but information on this potential host species is scarce. All three infections are of zoonotic nature and thus of great public health concern. The current study aimed to determine antibodies against the three pathogens in recently imported camels (n = 491) from Sudan at the two main ports for the entrance of camels into southern Egypt using commercial indirect ELISAs. Samples were collected in two sampling periods. The seropositivity rates of Brucella spp., C. burnetii, and Trichinella spp. were 3.5%, 4.3%, and 2.4%, respectively. Mixed seropositivity was found in 1% for Brucella spp. and C. burnetii. Marked differences were found between the two study sites and the two sampling periods for Brucella. A higher rate of seropositivity was recorded in the Red Sea/older samples that were collected between 2015 and 2016 (4.3%, 17/391; odds ratio = 9.4; p < 0.030) than in those collected in Aswan/recent samples that were collected between 2018 and 2021 (0/100). Concerning C. burnetii, samples collected during November and December 2015 had a significantly higher positivity rate than the other samples (13%, 13/100; OD = 4.8; p < 0.016). The same effect was observed for antibodies to Trichinella spp., with samples collected during November and December 2015 showing a higher positivity rate than the other samples (7%, 7/100; OD = 10.9; p < 0.001). This study provides valuable information on the seroprevalence of Brucella spp. and additional novel information on C. burnetii and Trichinella spp. in recently imported camels kept in quarantine before delivery to other Egyptian regions. This knowledge can be utilized to reduce health hazards and financial burdens attributable to brucellosis, Q fever, and trichinellosis in animals and humans in Egypt.

UPLC/ESI/MS profiling of red algae Galaxaura rugosa extracts and its activity against malaria mosquito vector, Anopheles pharoensis, with reference to Danio rerio and Daphnia magna as bioindicators

BACKGROUND

Anopheles pharoensis has a major role in transmitting several human diseases, especially malaria, in Egypt?. Controlling Anopheles is considered as an effective strategy to eliminate the spread of malaria worldwide. Galaxaura rugosa is a species of red algae found in tropical to subtropical marine environments. The presence of G. rugosa is indicative of the ecosystem's overall health. The current work aims to investigate UPLC/ESI/MS profile of G. rugosa methanol and petroleum ether extracts and its activity against An. pharoensis and non-target organisms, Danio rerio and Daphnia magna.

METHODS

Galaxaura rugosa specimens have been identified using DNA barcoding for the COI gene and verified as G. rugosa. The UPLC/ESI/MS profiling of G. rugosa collected from Egypt was described. The larvicidal and repellent activities of G. rugosa methanol and petroleum ether extracts against An. pharoensis were evaluated, as well as the toxicity of tested extracts on non-target organisms, Dan. rerio and Dap. magna.

RESULTS

The UPLC/ESI/MS analysis of methanol and petroleum ether extracts led to the tentative identification of 57 compounds belonging to different phytochemical classes, including flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acids, phenyl propanoids. Larval mortality was recorded at 93.33% and 90.67% at 80 and 35 ppm of methanol and petroleum ether extracts, respectively, while pupal mortality recorded 44.44 and 22.48% at 35 and 30 ppm, respectively. Larval duration was recorded at 5.31 and 5.64 days by methanol and petroleum ether extracts at 80 and 35 ppm, respectively. A decrease in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) level and a promotion in Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) level of An. pharoensis 3rd instar larvae were recorded by tested extracts. The petroleum ether extract was more effective against An. pharoensis starved females than methanol extract. Also, tested extracts recorded LC50 of 1988.8, 1365.1, and 11.65, 14.36 µg/mL against Dan. rerio, and Dap. magna, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Using red algae derivatives in An. pharoensis control could reduce costs and environmental impact and be harmless to humans and other non-target organisms.

A Cryptosporidium parvum vaccine candidate effect on immunohistochemical profiling of CD4+, CD8+, Caspase-3 and NF-κB in mice

BACKGROUND

Cryptosporidium parvum is a protozoan parasite of medical and veterinary importance that causes neonatal diarrhea in many vertebrate hosts. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of an affinity-purified antigen as a C. parvum vaccine candidate using ileal and liver tissues of experimentally infected neonatal mice by immunohistochemical profiling and immune scoring of CD4+, CD8+, Caspase-3, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). This vaccine was prepared from the C. parvum oocysts antigen using immune affinity chromatography with cyanogen bromide-activated Sepharose-4B beads.

METHODS

Thirty neonatal mice were divided into three groups (10 mice/group): (1) non-immunized non-infected, (2) non-immunized infected (using gastric tubes with a single dose of 1 × 105 of C. parvum oocysts in 250 µl PBS solution 1 h before a meal) and (3) immunized (twice with 40 µg/kg of purified C. parvum antigen at 2-week intervals and then infected with 1 × 105 C. parvum oocysts simultaneously with the second group). After euthanizing the animals on the 10th day, post-infection, their ileal and liver tissues were collected and prepared for immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining to detect CD4+, CD8+, Caspase-3, and NF-κB levels, which are indicators for T helper cells, cytotoxic T cells, apoptosis, and inflammation, respectively.

RESULTS

The IHC results showed that CD4+, CD8+, Caspase-3, and NF-κB expression varied significantly (P < 0.001) in both organs in all the groups. We also recorded high CD4+ levels and low CD8+ expression in the non-immunized non-infected mice tissues, while the opposite was observed in the non-immunized infected mice tissues. In the immunized infected mice, the CD4+ level was higher than CD8 + in both organs. While the Caspase-3 levels were higher in the ileal tissue of non-immunized infected than immunized infected mice ileal tissues, the reverse was seen in the liver tissues of both groups. Furthermore, NF-κB expression was higher in the liver tissues of non-immunized infected mice than in immunized infected mice tissues. Therefore, the IHC results and immune-scoring program revealed a significant difference (P < 0.001) in the CD4+, CD8+, Caspase-3, and NF-κB expression levels in both ileal and liver tissues of all mice groups, which might be necessary for immunomodulation in these tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

The improvement observed in the immunized infected mice suggests that this vaccine candidate might protect against cryptosporidiosis.

Purification and characterization of cysteine protease of Sarcocystis fusiformis from infected Egyptian water buffaloes

Sarcocystis spp. infects water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) causing sarcocystosis. In the present study, Sarcocystis fusiformis was recognized in Egyptian water buffaloes based on histological observation and molecular analysis of internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX-1) gene fragments. Chemotherapy and vaccines against Sarcocystis spp. could potentially target proteases because they may play a crucial role in the infection. Cysteine proteases are multifunctional enzymes involved in vital metabolic processes. However, the involvement of proteases in S. fusiform infection has not yet been characterized. Here, the purification and study on some biochemical properties of protease isolated from cysts of S. fusiform were carried out. Protease with a molecular weight of 100 kDa was purified. LC-MS/MS analyzed the protein sequence of purified protease and the data suggested that the enzyme might be related to the cysteine protease. The purified protease exhibited maximum activity at pH 6 and a temperature of 50 °C. The Michaelis-Menten constant (Km), the maximum velocity (Vmax), and the turnover number (Kcat) were determined. The complete inhibition effect of cysteine inhibitors indicated that the purified enzyme is a cysteine protease. The results suggested that S. fusiform proteolytic enzyme may be necessary for parasite survival in water buffaloes by digesting host tissues. Therefore, cysteine protease could be a suitable target for vaccinations.

Rapid diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii using loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay in camels and small ruminants

Background

This study was conducted to detect the presence of T. gondii in milk and blood samples using three different assays: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay (LAMP). Whole blood, serum, and milk samples were collected from goats (n = 156), sheep (n = 261), and camels (n = 108) in different governorates in Egypt from December 2019 to February 2021 and screened by ELISA for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies before DNA extraction. The target T. gondii DNA gene was detected and evaluated using the LAMP assay compared to PCR.

Results

T. gondii antibodies were found in milk and serum samples at the rates of (29.26%) and (36.58%) in camels, (34.18%) and (35.89%) in sheep, and (33.7%) and (36.36%) in goats, respectively. Similar to PCR, the percentages of LAMP tests for the detection of the T. gondii DNA gene in milk and blood samples of camels, sheep, and goats were (4.8, 14.63), (6.83, 7.69), and (7.79, 9.09), respectively. LAMP's sensitivity for detecting T. gondii in milk and blood samples, which was identical to that of PCR, was 100%.

Conclusions

The findings clearly demonstrated that there were no variations in T. gondii detection capabilities in milk and blood samples from various animals using both PCR and LAMP tests. It provides a quick, precise, and sensitive method of detecting T. gondii in a variety of samples that may be used both in the field and in laboratory diagnosis.

Demodex Mites in Relation to the Degree of Acne Vulgaris among Egyptian Patients

&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;i&gt;Demodex&lt;/i&gt; mites are considered to play a pathogenic role in facial dermatoses as &lt;i&gt;Acne vulgaris&lt;/i&gt;. In this study the association between &lt;i&gt;Acne vulgaris&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Demodex&lt;/i&gt; spp. intensity, kind and activity were investigated. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Two degrees of acne was included, mild acne (30 cases) and moderate to severe acne (30 cases), besides 30 healthy subjects as a control. Deep skin scraping followed by direct microscopic detection was applied to diagnose demodicosis. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; All the detected mites in moderate to severe acne were &lt;i&gt;D. folliculorum&lt;/i&gt; which was observed in a highly dynamic status with their entire life cycle stages with intensity >5 mites per cm&lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href="2246157_ja"&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;. While very few inactive &lt;i&gt;D. brevis&lt;/i&gt; mites were detected in the 2 subjects related to the control group&lt;i&gt;. &lt;/i&gt;Despite that females comprised the majority of acne cases, males encompassed a statistically higher number than females among positive demodicosis cases. Itching and hair loss were the significant clinical signs within positive cases. Regarding risk factors, oily skins, repeated exposure to the sun, stressful lifestyle plus defective use of facial cleansers were found to be statistically significant. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; These results attained an association between moderate to severe acne and energetic &lt;i&gt;D. folliculorum&lt;/i&gt; entire population. Thus, this study recommended lifestyle's modification for those cases suffering from &lt;i&gt;Acne vulgaris&lt;/i&gt; with deep facial cleaning to avoid such infestation that worsens acne condition. Accordingly, once acne treatments are ineffective, consideration of &lt;i&gt;Demodex&lt;/i&gt; mites with the needed acaricidal therapy is necessary.

Myrtus communis Essential Oil; Anti-Parasitic Effects and Induction of the Innate Immune System in Mice with Toxoplasma gondii Infection

Background: Myrtus communis (M. communis) is a wild aromatic plant used for traditional herbal medicine that can be demonstrated in insecticidal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activity of its essential oils (MCEO). Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the prophylactic effects of M. communis essential oil (MCEO) against chronic toxoplasmosis induced by the Tehran strain of Toxoplasma gondii in mice. Methods: Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis was performed to determine the chemical composition of MCEO. Mice were then orally administrated with MCEO at the doses of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg/day and also atovaquone 100 mg/kg for 21 days. On the 15th day, the mice were infected with the intraperitoneal inoculation of 20–25 tissue cysts from the Tehran strain of T. gondii. The mean numbers of brain tissue cysts and the mRNA levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ in mice of each tested group were measured. Results: By GC/MS, the major constituents were α-pinene (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (19.6%), and linalool (12.6%), respectively. The results demonstrated that the mean number of T. gondii tissue cysts in experimental groups Ex1 (p < 0.05), Ex2 (p < 0.001) and Ex3 (p < 0.001) was meaningfully reduced in a dose-dependent manner compared with the control group (C2). The mean diameter of tissue cyst was significantly reduced in mice of the experimental groups Ex2 (p < 0.01) and Ex3 (p < 0.001). The results demonstrated that although the mRNA levels of IFN-γ and IL-12 were elevated in all mice of experimental groups, a significant increase (p < 0.001) was observed in tested groups of Ex2 and Ex3 when compared with control groups. Conclusion: The findings of the present study demonstrated the potent prophylactic effects of MCEO especially in the doses 200 and 300 mg/kg in mice infected with T. gondii. Although the exceptional anti-Toxoplasma effects of MCEO and other possessions, such as improved innate immunity and low toxicity are positive topics, there is, however, a need for more proof from investigations in this field.

Immunological detection of human and camel cystic echinococcosis using different antigens of hydatid cyst fluid, protoscoleces, and germinal layers

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Cystic echinococcosis (CE)/hydatidosis is one of the most prevalent neglected zoonotic diseases. It is initially asymptomatic and does not produce any clinical signs until the cyst becomes enlarged, causing localized pressure on internal organs and tissues. Therefore, the detection of Echinococcus granulosus antibodies is highly essential. This study evaluated the antigens of hydatid cyst fluid, protoscoleces, and germinal layers for efficient immunological diagnosis of CE in humans and camels.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Hydatid cyst fluid (FLc), protoscoleces (Psc), and the germinal layer (GLc) antigens were prepared from camel-lung hydatid cysts. In the same way, hydatid cyst fluid (FLh) and protoscoleces (Psh) antigens from human-liver cyst aspirate were produced. The comparative immunodiagnostic efficacy of the prepared antigens was verified using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), SDS-PAGE, and immunoblotting.

RESULTS

ELISA proves that FLc and GLc antigens were higher than FLh and Psh antigens. This shows that binding reactivity in naturally infected human sera, camel sera, and Psc is the most potent, exhibiting 100% sensitivity with 78.26% and 76.47% specificity in camel and human sera, respectively. The CE prevalence using diagnostic Psc was 54.79% and 61.32% in tested human and camel sera, respectively. The electrophoretic profiles of all shared antigens showed similarities at 52, 41, and 22 kDa. Immunoblotting demonstrated common immune-reactive bands in all antigen types at 52 and 41 kDa against positive human and camel sera.

CONCLUSION

This immunological study introduces camel hydatid cyst Psc as a potent diagnostic antigen and new immune-reactive fractions of 52 and 41 kDa for diagnosing hydatidosis in humans and camels.

<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Cattle Egret (<i>Bubulcus ibis</i>): First Report from Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is capable of infecting a broad range of intermediate hosts. Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a species of herons that is common in Egypt. This work aimed to study the prevalence of T. gondii in cattle egret which is an efficient tool of investigating environmental contamination with T. gondii.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Serum, heart and brain tissues of 51 cattle egrets were collected from Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt and tested using Modified Agglutination Test (MAT) and mice bioassay.

RESULTS

There was a detection rate of 13.7% (7/51) in these birds using MAT. By intraperitoneal injection of mice with heart and brain tissues digest of MAT positive birds, the parasite was isolated from two T. gondii sero-positive birds (28.6%). The mice bioassay was confirmed by MAT, Hematoxylin and Eosin (HAND E) staining of the brain of the infected mice, also by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of T. gondii infection in cattle egret from Egypt and more studies are needed on Egyptian wildlife to understand the sylvatic life cycle of the parasite.

Ovicidal and Latent Effects of Pulicaria jaubertii (Asteraceae) Leaf Extracts on Aedes aegypti

The control of Aedes aegypti with synthetic pesticides may result in adverse effects on wildlife and the environment. Bioactive plant extracts have been proposed as one of the alternatives to chemical pesticides used against mosquitoes. Here, we report on the ovicidal and latent effects of ethanolic, petroleum ether, and chloroform leaf extracts of Pulicaria jaubertii at 25 to 150 ppm each against the life stages of laboratory stain of Ae. aegypti. At 150 ppm, the ethanolic leaf extract resulted in 100% ovicidal activity, followed by petroleum ether extract (74%), and chloroform extract about 7% mortality. The ethanolic extract produced 100% larval and pupal mortality at both 75 and 50 ppm, while the petroleum ether extract produced 76.5 and 58.3%, respectively. The ethanolic extract recorded the highest percentage of adult mortality (72.7%) at the lowest concentration (25 ppm). At 25 and 50 ppm, the ethanolic extract resulted in 62.2 and 85.2% sterility index of Ae. aegypti females, respectively, as compared with the 0.1 and 3.5% sterility index caused by the chloroform extract at the same concentrations. In conclusion, P. jaubertii appears to have potential to be further evaluated as a mosquito control agent. Additional studies are needed on its mode of action, synergism with other products, and efficacy under actual field conditions.

Recent biocontrol measures for fish bacterial diseases, in particular to probiotics, bio-encapsulated vaccines, and phage therapy

The objective of this review is to control fish bacterial diseases or infections through application of some promising novel biocontrol methods, such as probiotics, bio-encapsulated vaccines, and phage therapy, to avoid the disadvantages of traditional one that potentially affects fish and human health. Bacterial infection in intensive fish farming causes mass mortalities and the treatment of that requires the intensive use of chemicals and antibiotics. Several methods have been tried to control fish diseases including the use of antibiotics, but their haphazard use is associated with potentially negative effects as drug resistance and drug residues. The use of probiotics as biocontrol agents for aquaculture is increasing with the demand for environmental beneficial, eco-friendly alternatives for sustainable aquaculture production. The benefits of such supplements include improved food value, inhibition of pathogenic microorganisms, and increased immune response. The bio-encapsulated vaccine appears to be the most attractive method for releasing of vaccines. Several bioactive molecules which are specific for some diseases have been successfully encapsulated with nanoparticles in order to enhance their availability, bioactivity, and controlled delivery. Recently, "reverse vaccine" by using bio-informatics that aids in designing vaccines against infectious pathogens that are difficult to design, especially the intracellular bacteria. Additionally, the use of bacteriophages for biological control of pathogens in cultured fish has gained much interest. Several bacteriophages have been isolated specific to various pathogenic bacteria. Oral administration of phage cocktail is the most suitable way of application in fish, especially when large number of infected fish should be manipulated. Hence, in the following paragraphs, we will discuss some promising novel biocontrol methods that target the fish pathogens like probiotics, bio-encapsulated vaccines, and phage therapy.

Species Diversity and Seasonal Distribution of Hard Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Infesting Mammalian Hosts in Various Districts of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

Hard ticks are among the most important blood sucking arthropods that transmit pathogens to humans and animals. This study was designed to determine prevalence, mapping, geographical distribution, and seasonal activity of hard tick species infesting the most common domestic and wild mammals in various districts of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, during the period January to December 2017. In total, 10,832 adult hard ticks were collected from the bodies of 8,435 animals belonging to 18 different mammalian species. The ticks were preserved in 70% alcohol and microscopy was used to identify species. Two genera, Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus, were identified, comprising 10 species of hard ticks, with Hyalomma comprising 68.3% and Rhipicephalus comprising 31.7% of species. The most common species on domestic mammalian hosts was Hyalomma dromedarii (Koch 1844) (39.9%) followed by Rhipicephalus turanicus (Pomerantsev, Matikashvili & Lotosky 1936) (34.9%), whereas on wild mammalian hosts Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille 1806) was by far the most prevalent species (83.0%). However, ticks were most abundant during May through July (36.0%) in the studied areas, and tick intensity and abundance differed among seasons. Our results provide information for human and animal health service managers, as well as governmental authorities, to gain a better understanding of hard ticks infesting mammalian hosts in Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, which can help improve prevention and control of tick-borne diseases, especially during outbreaks.

Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii from horse meat in Egypt

Portions of heart, liver, skeletal and diaphragmatic muscles obtained from 150 slaughtered horses at Giza-Zoo abattoir were used for bioassays in mice and cats. T. gondii tachyzoites were isolated successfully from the peritoneal exudates of the inoculated mice 6-8 days post inoculation with pooled horse tissues. Whereas, T. gondii tissue cysts containing bradyzoites were detected in the impression smears of mice brain on the 45th days or more post infection. The oocysts were detected in feces of cats 3-6 days post feeding on horse tissues containing tissue cysts. The oocysts became sporulated within 3-5 days in 2.5% Potassium dichromate. A total of 79 out of 150 horse meat samples were found to be infected with an incidence rate of 52.6 %. This is the first trial for isolation of T. gondii infective stages from horses in Egypt. Moreover, this study pointed out to the high infection rate of T. gondii in horse meat which may be considered as an important source of infection to wild zoo-animals in Egypt and humans in some countries if consumed raw or insufficiently cooked.

Methods for inactivation of Toxoplasma gondii cysts in meat and tissues of experimentally infected sheep

This study utilized infectivity bioassays in cats and mice to assess the efficacy of inactivation of Toxoplasma gondii cysts in experimentally infected sheep meat and tissues subjected to chilling, freezing, heating, microwave cooking, and gamma ray irradiation. Heating at 60 degrees C or 100 degrees C for 10 minutes, freezing at either -10 degrees C for 3 days or -20 degrees C for 2 days, or irradiation at doses of 75 or 100 krad was sufficient to kill tissue cysts. Meanwhile, neither cooking in a microwave nor chilling at 5 degrees C for 5 days was sufficient to kill tissue cysts.

Sensitivity and specificity of various serological tests for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii infection in naturally infected sheep

Comparative serological examination of 300 serum samples from sheep slaughtered in the main abattoir in Cairo, Egypt revealed a higher prevalence of toxoplasmosis (43.7%) with the modified agglutination test (MAT), followed by the enzyme linked immune-sorbant assay (ELISA) (41.7%) and the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) (37%), while the lowest prevalence was detected with the dye test (DT) (34%). When the data from the first three serological tests were compared with that of the DT test, which was used as a reference test for toxoplasmosis, MAT had the highest sensitivity (96%), followed by ELISA (90.1%) and IFAT, which demonstrated the lowest sensitivity (80.4%). Conversely, IFAT had the highest specificity (91.4%), followed by MAT (88.9%) and ELISA (85.9%).

Comparative serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in horses using locally isolated Toxoplasma gondii

A total of 420 serum samples collected from horses of different ages, sexes and breeds, located at some horse farms in Egypt, were used for serological studies. A crude antigen of the locally isolated Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites from horse tissues (LA) was used for the detection of T. gondii antibodies in horses. It showed good diagnostic efficiency (38.1%) by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). To increase this efficiency, an affinity purification process was performed. Two fractions were obtained from LA by CNBr-Sepharose 4B affinity column chromatography named; unbound (LAunb) and bound (LAb). LAb showed the highest diagnostic potency (51.7%), while LAunb showed the lowest value (31.7%) using ELISA. The electrophoretic profile of LA (12 bands), LAb (6 bands) and LAunb (6 bands) showed molecular weights ranged from 25.1 to 184.3kDa. The immunoreactive bands of each of the three antigens were identified with infected horse sera by immunoblot assay. Four immunogenic bands of 155.8, 115.1, 83.2 and 66.2kDa were identified in LAb and probably were responsible for the highest diagnostic potency. Examination of horse sera by Indirect Fluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT) at a dilution of 1: 64 and Modified Agglutination Test (MAT) at a dilution of 1: 25 revealed that 170 (40.5%) and 202 (48.1%) had antibodies against T. gondii, respectively. The current research introduces crude and purified fractions (bound and unbound) obtained from the locally isolated tachyzoites (equine origin), which are utilized globally for the first time in detection of T. gondii antibodies in horses. Furthermore, this study recommended utilization of the bound fraction in diagnosis of toxoplasmosis using indirect ELISA which proved better diagnostic potency compared with IFAT and MAT.