title: Anti-Neospora caninum antibody detection and vertical transmission rate in pregnant zebu beef cows (Bos indicus): Neospora caninum in pregnant beef cows (Bos indicus).
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate anti-Neospora caninum antibodies and the vertical transmission rate in naturally infected pregnant zebu beef cows (Bos indicus) reared on pasture. The present study began with 200 cows from four farms (50 cows from each farm), and these animals were submitted to timed artificial insemination (TAI). After ultrasonography, 76 pregnant cows were selected, 22, 15, 22, and 17, respectively, from farms 1, 2, 3, and 4. Blood samples were taken from cows thrice during the first, second, and third trimester of gestation, and a blood sample was collected from 31 calves before colostrum milking. From 76 cows 23 (30.3%) had anti-N. caninum antibodies detected by indirect ELISA (Idexx), and 53 (69.7%) did not. Sixty-four cows that initiated the experiment were negative to N. caninum and 11 became positive either during the second or third trimester of gestation, this mean an infection incidence of 17.2% (11/64). OD for ELISA was higher (OD=2.08) during the second and third (OD=2.10) trimesters of pregnancy when compared with the first (OD=1.81), however, there were no statistical differences (P=0.45). The vertical transmission was calculated to be 29.0% (9/31), and the risk of vertical transmission of N. caninum in seropositive dams was 26.25 times higher than seronegative animals (OR=26.25, 2.38<OR<289, P=0.007). In conclusion, the rate of vertical transmission of N. caninum in pregnant zebu beef cows was 29%, and the risk was 26.25 higher in seropositive dams relative to than seronegative animals.
authors.affiliation: Protozoology Laboratory, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade de Londrina-UEL, Postal Box 6001, 86050-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eudes Esteves do
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Protozoology Laboratory, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade de Londrina-UEL, Postal Box 6001, 86050-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Sue
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Sammi
authors.affiliation: Protozoology Laboratory, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade de Londrina-UEL, Postal Box 6001, 86050-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joeleni Rosa Dos
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Protozoology Laboratory, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade de Londrina-UEL, Postal Box 6001, 86050-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Beatriz de Souza Lima
authors.initials: Bde S
authors.lastname: Nino
authors.affiliation: Protozoology Laboratory, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade de Londrina-UEL, Postal Box 6001, 86050-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexey Leon Gomel
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bogado
authors.affiliation: Protozoology Laboratory, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade de Londrina-UEL, Postal Box 6001, 86050-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taroda
authors.affiliation: Protozoology Laboratory, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade de Londrina-UEL, Postal Box 6001, 86050-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Odilon
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vidotto
authors.affiliation: Protozoology Laboratory, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade de Londrina-UEL, Postal Box 6001, 86050-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: jlgarcia@uel.br.
authors.forename: João Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D015994:Incidence; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Calves; Herd cattle; Neosporosis; Pregnancy