title: Seroprevalence of Neospora spp. in Horses in North East of Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neospora caninum, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, is recognized as a major cause of abortion in cattle, while limited information is presently available on the seroprevalence of Neospora antibodies in horses' worldwide. The aim of the present study was to determine serologic prevalence of Neospora infection in horses in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera from 150 horses from Mashhad suburb in Razavi Khorasan Province, northeast Iran were examined for antibodies to Neospora spp. using Neospora modified direct agglutination test (N-MAT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibodies to this parasite were detected in 45 (30%) of the examined serum samples. Thirty four percent of the samples had titer of 1:40 while then reduced to 30% when 1:80 serum dilution was applied as significant cut off titer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is the first investigation carried out on the Neospora in horses in Iran and indicates that horses in Iran are exposed to this parasite.
authors.affiliation: Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moraveji
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tahamtan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahimian
authors.forename: Gh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.forename: Mm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Namavari