Pathogenes Inc.

We are making progress with apicomplexan parasite diseases.  We present recently published articles and new data as they are made public. We encourage you to take part in our ongoing research.  Can't find what you are looking for?  Try the archive page.  Read about our newest progress on our BLOG, updated recently.  Sort our blog by catagory to see all the posts on a single issue.  Did you miss the Webinar?  It's not too late... we will share the following WebEx recording with you. Click the link below:

A Novel Strategy for Treatment and Protection against EPM 

Phenotype Test Strips

The long awaited Pathogenes S. neurona antibody detection strips to discern phenotype are now available!  Get your testing kit at

These strips detect specific antibodies in equine serum at a 1:20 dilution.  Each line will react if antibodies are present.  The test uses the same antigens that are used in our Peptide ELISA.  The strip test gives you a positive/negative not a titer...but the information is very useful. 

The reactions indicate a need to run an ELISA to determine titer, indicate the probable resistance to triazine anti-protozoal drugs, endpoint to treatment, and immunity!   

ON THIS PAGE

Cross Protection with S. neurona

Active EPM Video

Ataxic horse That is not EPM Video

Peptide ELISA survey results

SAG antigens what you should know

EPM is Difficult to Diagnose and Treat 

This video shows an active case, Gr. IV, of EPM

The 3 videos of this ataxic horse illustrate the similarity of EPM to CVM, or Wobbler Syndrome

What does S. neurona phenotype have to do with treating EPM?

 Cross Protection with S. neurona

Protective immunity is stimulated by protozoal infections.  Each phenotype of S. neurona stimulates some unique adaptive responses in the host.  Our in vitro research using SAG1 phenotype challenge in horses indicates that the cellular response is phenotype specific.  New evidence indicates that the horse can produce cross-protection to some, but not all, phenotypes.  We found two mechanisms that elicit cross protection that we can measure.  What is interesting is that while there are some similarities to the molecular sequence of the SnSAG's they are antigenically unique.  Therefore, it's not unexpected that a phenotype specific response would be stimulated with infection.  But it is surprising that one phenotype stimulates inter-species reactions and possibly elicits cross protection in animals.  We are investigating the in vivo cross protection in horses and the relationship between the known SnSAG's.  We published trials showing that SnSAG1 vaccination elicits protective immunity against homologous challenge in horses.  As we understand the inter and intraspecies antigen responses we can identify an efficient strategy to elicit protection against all S. neurona infections.  Understanding immunity to Sarcocystis is as important to treatment of EPM as it is to protection against sarcocystis infections.

Peptide ELISA survey results

We surveyed PEPTIDE ELISA test results and information from submission forms from November 2010 through May 2011.  Equine sera  submitted for testing using the Peptide ELISA that detects specific antibodies to the three antigen types of Sarcocystis neurona. These data are meaningful as more samples are analyzed.  Our sample set is increasing, and sampled 0.5% of the total EPM cases anticipated in the US population annually.  We are seeing trends in treatment efficacy that match the published data.  The phenotype of  S. neurona that infects a horse can be identified and influence treatment choices.  In the example below all the sera contain common antigens that can be detected.  Horse 7 is negative for active disease.  The antibodies present in the remaining horses are infected.  The horses with active neuroinvasive S. neurona infections are 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9.  Horses 1 and 6 may resolve the infections without treatment.

SAG Antigens: What you should know about antigen types and strains

More evidence that SnSAG 1, 5, and 6 are important antigens to understand and recognize in equine infections.  Find out what you should know, click here. Read the paper here.