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Title: PREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES TO NEOSPORA CANINUM AND SARCOCYSTIS NEURONA IN SERA OF DOMESTIC CATS FROM BRAZIL

Author
item Dubey, Jitender
item LINDSAY, D - VIRGINIA TECH
item Hill, Dolores
item ROMAND, S - INST. DE PUERCULTURE
item THULLIEZ, P - INST. DE PUERCULTURE
item Kwok, Oliver
item SILVA, J - UNIV. SAO PAULO
item OLIVEIRA-CAMARGO, M - CENT. CONTR. ZOO
item GENNARI, S - UNIV. SAO PAULO

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/10/2002
Publication Date: 8/10/2002
Citation: Dubey, J.P., Lindsay, D.S., Hill, D.E., Romand, S., Thulliez, P., Kwok, O.C., Silva, J., Oliveira-Camargo, M.C., Gennari, S.M. 2002. Prevalence of antibodies to neospora caninum and sarcocystis neurona in sera of domestic cats from brazil. Journal of Parasitology 88:1251-1252.

Interpretive Summary: Neospora caninum is a single-celled parasite of livestock and companion animals. It causes abortion in livestock and paralysis in companion animals. Dogs are the reservoirs of its infection because they are the only animals that can excrete environmentally-resistant oocysts. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil report for the first time antibodies to N. caninum in 11.9% of 502 cats from the city of Sao Paulo. These results will be of interest to veterinarians, biologists, and parasitologists.

Technical Abstract: Antibodies to Neospora caninum and Sarcocystis neurona were determined in serum samples of 502 domestic cats from Brazil using direct agglutination tests employing the respective antigens. Antibodies to S. neurona were not found in 1:50 dilution of any serum in the S. neurona agglutination test, suggesting that domestic cats from São Paulo city were not exposed to S. neurona sporocysts from opossums. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in 60 (11.9%) of 502 cats with titers of 1:40 in 36 cats, 1:80 in 18 cats, 1:160 in 5 cats and 1:800 in 1 cat using the Neospora agglutination test (NAT). Antibodies to N. caninum were confirmed by Western blotting in the sera of 10 cats with 1:80 to 1:800 NAT titer; this finding suggests that at least 10 cats had N. caninum-specific antibodies confirmed by 2 tests. This in the first documentation of natural exposure of cats to N. caninum.