title: Neospora caninum prevalence in dogs raised under different living conditions.
abstract: Neospora caninum is an important cause of abortion in dairy cattle worldwide. Dogs are important in the epidemiology of N. caninum because they act as definitive hosts shedding oocysts in the environment. Vertical transmission of the parasite is well recognized as an important aspect of the epidemiology of the parasite but the importance of horizontal transmission has been less studied. A N. caninum competitive ELISA was used to examine serum samples from 600 dogs that were raised under 4 different living conditions. Samples from 138 dogs living on 24 dairies with a prevalence (0-70%) of anti-N. caninum antibodies in the cattle, 294 pet dogs without neurological signs, 76 from pet dogs exhibiting neurological signs, and 92 stray dogs were examined. The overall seroprevalence of N. caninum was 23.5% (95% CI = ± 2.99) in the 600 dogs. Significant (P < 0.05) differences were observed between the 4 different populations of dogs. The number of N. caninum positive samples were: 51 (36.9%, 95% CI = ± 3.09) of 138 dogs from dairies, 31 (10.5%, 95% CI = ± 6.38) of 294 pet dogs without neurological signs, disorders, 22 (28.9%, 95% CI = ± 6.70) of 76 pet dogs with neurological signs, and 37 (40.2%, 95% CI = ± 2.83) of 92 stray dogs. Seropositivity to N. caninum in dogs from dairies was associated with a high prevalence of N. caninum antibodies in the cattle. At the 3 dairies where no dogs were present, the seroprevalence to N. caninum in the cattle was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in the 21 dairies where dogs were present. Seroprevalence was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in male dogs (97 of 366; 26.5%, 95% CI = ± 3.40) than in female dogs (44 of 234; 18.8%, 95% CI = ± 5.65). Seroprevalence in dogs increased with age suggesting postnatal exposure to N. caninum infection however, this increase was not significant (P > 0.05). The prevalence of N. caninum antibodies was not significantly (P>0.05) different in dogs based on breed. These findings suggest a relationship between N. caninum infection of dogs from dairies and cattle on these dairies. However, further research is required to determine what is the most important way dogs acquire infection and how to prevent dogs from shedding oocysts.
authors: Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54600, Pakistan. Electronic address: mudasser.nazir@uvas.edu.pk.
authors: Muhammad Mudasser
authors: MM
authors: Nazir
authors: Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54600, Pakistan.
authors: Azhar
authors: A
authors: Maqbool
authors: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, B.Z. University, Multan 60800, Pakistan.
authors: Masood
authors: M
authors: Akhtar
authors: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, B.Z. University, Multan 60800, Pakistan.
authors: Mazhar
authors: M
authors: Ayaz
authors: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, B.Z. University, Multan 60800, Pakistan.
authors: Atif Nisar
authors: AN
authors: Ahmad
authors: Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54600, Pakistan.
authors: Kamran
authors: K
authors: Ashraf
authors: Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54600, Pakistan.
authors: Asif
authors: A
authors: Ali
authors: Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54600, Pakistan.
authors: Muhammad Azhar
authors: MA
authors: Alam
authors: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, B.Z. University, Multan 60800, Pakistan.
authors: Muhammad Amjad
authors: MA
authors: Ali
authors: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, B.Z. University, Multan 60800, Pakistan.
authors: Abdur Rauf
authors: AR
authors: Khalid
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
authors: David S
authors: DS
authors: Lindsay
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001947:Breeding; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D033661:Oocysts; D011247:Pregnancy; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Dog; Epidemiology; Neospora caninum; Oocyst