Prevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum in dogs from Amazon, Brazil

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology Vol. 115; no. 1; pp. 71 - 74
• Main Authors: Cañón-Franco, W.A., Bergamaschi, D.P., Labruna, M.B., Camargo, L.M.A., Souza, S.L.P., Silva, J.C.R., Pinter, A., Dubey, J.P., Gennari, S.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 10.07.2003
• Subjects: Age Factors; Amazon; Animal Feed; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Protozoan - blood; Brazil; Brazil - epidemiology; Coccidiosis - epidemiology; Coccidiosis - immunology; Coccidiosis - parasitology; Coccidiosis - veterinary; Dog Diseases - epidemiology; Dog Diseases - immunology; Dog Diseases - parasitology; Dogs; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect - veterinary; Indirect fluorescent antibody test; Logistic Models; Male; Multivariate Analysis; Neospora - immunology; Neospora - isolation & purification; Neospora caninum; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Sex Factors; Brazil; Antibodies; Brazil; Indirect fluorescent antibody test; Amazon; Neospora caninum
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-4017(03)00131-6

Neospora caninum is an important cause of abortion in dairy cattle worldwide. Dogs are important in the epidemiology of this parasite because they are the only hosts known to excrete N. caninum oocysts. Antibodies to N. caninum were assayed in serum samples from 157 dogs from Monte Negro, Rondônia, Amazon, Brazil using the indirect fluorescent antibody test. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in 13 (8.3%) of dogs in titers of 1:50 in 1, 1:100 in 2, 1:200 in 5, 1:800 in 1, 1:1600 in 2, and 1:3200 in 2 dogs. These data indicate that N. caninum infection is prevalent even in remote areas of the Amazon.