Chickens (Gallus domesticus) are natural intermediate hosts of Neospora caninum.
Neospora caninum naturally infects many mammal species, but has not previously been demonstrated in birds. We examined sera for N. caninum antibodies from 200 outdoor chickens and from 200 chickens confined indoors in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Seroprevalence was greater in outdoor chickens (23.5% versus 1.5%, P<0.001). PCR testing for N. caninum was positive in six of 10 seropositive chickens. Amplicons from two of these were sequenced and had 97-98% nucleotide identity with N. caninum. This finding extends the list of intermediate hosts of N. caninum to include birds and may have important epidemiological consequences.
Departamento de Patologia e Clínicas, Escola de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Ademar de Barros 500, Ondina, Salvador, Bahia 40170-110, Brazil.
K S
KS
Costa
S L
SL
Santos
R S
RS
Uzêda
A M
AM
Pinheiro
M A O
MA
Almeida
F R
FR
Araújo
M M
MM
McAllister
L F P
LF
Gondim
D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D001717:Birds / Q000469:parasitology; D001938:Brazil; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000635:transmission*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000469:parasitology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018688:Neospora / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan