title: Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum and Brucella abortus in dairy cattle herds with high abortion rates.
abstract: The protozoan Neospora caninum and the bacterium Brucella abortus are well-recognized causes of abortion in dairy cattle. Serum samples (n  =  240) from aborting (n  =  141) and at-risk (n  =  99) animals from 5 herds with high abortion rates in Punjab Province, Pakistan, were tested for antibodies to N. caninum using monoclonal antibody-based ELISA and for antibodies to B. abortus using the serum agglutination test. Antibodies to N. caninum and B. abortus were detected in 105 (43.8%) and 135 (56.3%) cattle, respectively. Prevalences of antibodies to N. caninum and B. abortus were higher in aborting cows (46.8% and 76.6%, P < 0.05) than in animals at risk (39.4% and 27.3%, P > 0.05). Sixty-six animals (27.5%) were seropositive to both N. caninum and B. abortus , and results showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) with respect to geographical district, breed, and age. This is the first report of N. caninum infection among dairy cattle herds in Pakistan.
authors.affiliation: University Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54600, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Zubair
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Shabbir
authors.forename: Muhammad Mudasser
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Nazir
authors.forename: Azhar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maqbool
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lateef
authors.forename: Muhammad Abu Bakr
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shabbir
authors.forename: Arfan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Masood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rabbani
authors.forename: Tahir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yaqub
authors.forename: Muhammad Umar
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Sohail
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ijaz
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D017677:Age Distribution; D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000276:immunology*; D002007:Brucellosis, Bovine / Q000453:epidemiology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology*; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan