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Title: OCCURRENCE OF NEOSPORA CANINUM ANTIBODIES IN SERA FROM DOGS OF THE CITY OF SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

Author
item GENNARI, S - UNIV. DE SAO PAULO
item YAI, L.E. - CENT. DE CONTROLE DE ZOO
item D'AURIA, S.N. - CENT. DE CONTROLE DE ZOO
item CARDOSO, S.M. - CENT. DE CONTROLE DE ZOO
item Kwok, Oliver
item Jenkins, Mark
item Dubey, Jitender

Submitted to: Veterinary Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/10/2002
Publication Date: 7/12/2002
Citation: Gennari, S.M., Yai, L.O., D'Auria, S.R., Cardoso, S.S., Kwok, O.C., Jenkins, M.C., Dubey, J.P. 2002. Occurrence of neospora caninum antibodies in sera from dogs of the city of sao paulo, brazil. Veterinary Parasitology 106:177-179.

Interpretive Summary: Neospora caninum is a single-celled parasite of animals. It causes abortion in dairy cattle and paralysis in companion animals. Dogs are the only reservoir host for this parasite. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil found antibodies to N. caninum in 10% of 500 owned dogs and 25% of stray dogs from the city of Sao Paulo. These data indicate that feral dogs may be important in the epidemiology of N. caninum infection and will be of interest to parasitologists, veterinarians and epidemiologists.

Technical Abstract: 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. In order to understand the prevalence of N. caninum in dogs, sera from 500 owned dogs and from over 600 feral street dogs from the city of São Paulo, Brazil were assayed for antibodies to N. caninum. Sera were examined by the Neospora agglutination test (NAT) using mouse-derived tachyzoites and by recombinant enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (rELISA). In NAT, antibodies (³ 1:25) to N. caninum were found in nearly 10% (49/500) of owned dogs and in 25% (151/611) of stray dogs. By rELISA, antibodies to recombinant N. caninum NcGRA6/GRA7 antigens were found in 67% (335/500) of owned dogs and 88% (540/611) stray dogs. No significant difference in average anti- NcGRA6/GRA7 titers were observed between owned and stray dogs. These data indicate that feral dogs may be important in the epidemiology of N. caninum infection.