title: Low seroprevalence of Neospora caninum infection associated with the limousin breed in cow-calf herds in Andorra, Europe.
abstract: Neospora caninum seroprevalence and risk factors affecting seroprevalence in beef cattle in Andorra were investigated. Antibodies to N. caninum were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay performed on a yearly basis in 1,758 animals older than 6 mo, belonging to 26 herds. Mean seroprevalence of antibodies to N. caninum for the herds was 7.4 +/- 1.2% (130/1,758). Logistic regression analyses were performed on data from each animal, considering N. caninum seropositivity as the dependent variable, and herd, grazing area, year of sampling, repeat-test animal (animals sampled twice or more), sex, breed, age (animals <4 yr old or > or =5 yr old), and country of birth as possible risk factors. Based on the odds ratio, the prevalence of infection was 2.1 times higher (P < 0.01) in animals from the Ordino grazing area, 1.64 times higher in animals older than 5 yr (P < 0.01), and 6.7 times (1/0.15) lower in Limousin-mixed Limousin cattle (P < 0.002). The results suggest that the particular grazing location could promote the horizontal transmission of this parasite and that certain breeds are less susceptible to N. caninum infection than others.
authors.affiliation: Parasitologia y Enfermedades Parasitarias, Departmento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Armengol
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pabón
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santolaria
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cabezón
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Adelantado
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yániz
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López-Gatius
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Almería
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan