Factors associated with infection by Neospora caninum in dogs in Brazil.
From August 2006 to 2008, 411 dogs in northeastern Brazil were evaluated for seropositivity to Neospora caninum. The dogs were clinically examined, and their owners were interviewed about the conditions in which the animals were maintained in order to assess the factors associated with infection by this parasite. A serum sample was taken from each dog for serological examination in an indirect fluorescent antibody test for N. caninum. The Yates' Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to select the variables for the multivariate logistic regression model. Seropositivity was detected in 9.26% of dogs. The seropositivity rates of dogs from different environments were 2.6% (4/156) in urban areas, 13.1% (28/214) in peri-urban areas, and 14.6% (6/41) in rural areas. Factors associated with seropositivity for N. caninum were the following: contact with other dogs, access to food outside the home and residing in the peri-urban or rural environments (p<0.05). Results of this study confirm that dogs in urban, rural and peri-urban areas of northeastern Brazil are exposed to N. caninum. Control measures to prevent infection of dogs in the studied region should be focused primarily on preventing access to potential sources of infection, which include environments with other dogs, bovines, and other small intermediate hosts, such as birds and rodents.
Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Campus Soane Nazaré de Andrade Rodovia Ilhéus Itabuna, Km 16, Salobrinho, Ilhéus, Bahia 45662-000, Brazil.
Patrícia Mara Lopes
PM
Sicupira
Vanessa Carvalho Sampaio
VC
de Magalhães
Gideão da Silva
Gda S
Galvão
Maria Julia Salim
MJ
Pereira
Luís Fernando Pita
LF
Gondim
Alexandre Dias
AD
Munhoz
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D018688:Neospora; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan