title: Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Neospora caninum infection in different dog populations in Spain.
abstract: In this study, Neospora caninum seroprevalence and some associated risk factors were investigated in four different dog populations in Spain. N. caninum seropositivity was significantly higher in farm dogs (51%, 51/100) (P<0.001) and lower in household dogs (2.9%, 3/102) (P<0.0001). The seroprevalence in hunting (23%, 23/100) and stray (24.5%, 23/94) dogs was moderate, and no significant differences were observed between these two populations (P>0.05). A significantly higher number of dogs showed titres of 1:50-1:100 (68%, 68/100) than >or=1:200 (33%, 33/100) titres (P<0.0001). N. caninum antibodies were more often detected in mixed breed than pure breed dogs (P<0.01), but when data were stratified by dog type a significant association was not found (P>0.05). A significantly higher prevalence of N. caninum was observed in dogs over 1 year old (P<0.01), indicating that horizontal transmission may be the most important route of infection. The presence of N. caninum antibodies was significantly more frequent in Leishmania infantum-seropositive hunting (P<0.05) and stray dogs (P<0.00001). This study confirms that farm, stray and hunting dogs can be considered at-risk dog populations for N. caninum infection in Spain.
authors.affiliation: SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Collantes-Fernández
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gómez-Bautista
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miró
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alvarez-García
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pereira-Bueno
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frisuelos
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ortega-Mora
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001947:Breeding; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan