Investigation of Neospora sp. antibodies in aborted mares from Normandy, France.
Neospora caninum, an apicomplexan protozoan parasite, is recognized as a major cause of abortion in cattle while limited information is presently available on association between equine Neospora infections and abortions. The aim of the present study was to document prevalence of antibodies against Neospora sp. in aborted mares as a clue to the role of N. caninum in mare reproductive failure in Normandy, France. Using an agglutination test, the number of animals with elevated (>80) anti-Neospora sp. antibody titer was higher in a group of 54 aborted mares than in randomly chosen groups of 45 mares and 76 horses sampled for equine arteritis virus and Fasciola hepatica antibodies, respectively (P<0.001). N. caninum DNA was found in 3/91 fetal brains, 2/77 fetal hearts, and 1/1 placenta, and present in both brains and hearts of two fetuses. In 13 cases for which both mare serum and fetus were available, no fetal N. caninum amplification product was present while a large variation of maternal antibody titers was found. Data prompt at additional surveys of association between equine reproductive failure and Neospora sp. infection.
Pitel
Pierre-Hugues
PH
Laboratoire Départemental Frank Duncombe, 1 Route de Rosel, 14053 Caen Cedex 4, France. ph.pitel@cg14.fr
Romand
Stéphane
S
Pronost
Stéphane
S
Foucher
Nathalie
N
Gargala
Gilles
G
Maillard
Karine
K
Thulliez
Philippe
P
Collobert-Laugier
Claire
C
Tainturier
Daniel
D
Fortier
Guillaume
G
Ballet
Jean Jacques
JJ
D037881:Aborted Fetus / Q000469:parasitology; D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D018688:Neospora / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan