title: Prevalence and correlates of antibodies to Neospora caninum in dogs in Portugal.
abstract: Neosporosis, caused by Neospora caninum, is an important cause of abortion in cattle and of neurological disease in dogs. This study investigated the prevalence and correlates of antibodies to N. caninum in 441 dogs from the five regions of mainland Portugal. A commercial competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) was used and specific antibodies were detected in 35 (7.9%) dogs. Seroprevalence levels were significantly different among some of the studied regions, as well as between stray dogs (13.6%) and hunting dogs (1.7%). The difference between seropositivity in dogs presenting musculoskeletal or neurological signs (21.4%) and that in animals without clinical signs compatible with neosporosis (5.6%) was close to statistical significance. This is the first report on the seroprevalence of N. caninum in dogs in Portugal. Neosporosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of neurological disorders of dogs.
authors: Unidade de Parasitologia Médica, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal - Centro de Malária e outras Doenças Tropicais, IHMT-UNL, Lisboa, Portugal - Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Maia
authors: Victor Caeiro Laboratory of Parasitology, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, (ICAAM), University of Évora, Portugal.
authors: Helder
authors: H
authors: Cortes
authors: Clínica Veterinária da Covilhã, Covilhã, Portugal - Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal - Escola Superior Agrária, Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco, Castelo Branco, Portugal.
authors: Hugo
authors: H
authors: Brancal
authors: Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal - Centro de Ciência Animal e Veterinária (CECAV), UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors: Ana Patrícia
authors: AP
authors: Lopes
authors: Hospital Veterinário de Trás-os-Montes, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors: Paulo
authors: P
authors: Pimenta
authors: Unidade de Parasitologia Médica, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal - Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
authors: Lenea
authors: L
authors: Campino
authors: Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
authors: Luís
authors: L
authors: Cardoso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs / Q000469:parasitology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000662:veterinary; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D063189:Symptom Assessment
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan