Study on the use of toltrazuril to eliminate Neospora caninum in congenitally infected lambs born from experimentally infected ewes.
To determine if toltrazuril was effective in eliminating Neospora caninum infection from congenitally infected lambs. Twenty-eight ewes were allocated to 3 groups where animals in Groups A and B were inoculated with 1 × 10(7)N. caninum tachyzoites on Day 120 of gestation and Group C was maintained as a negative control group. Lambs born from ewes in Group A were treated with toltrazuril (20mg/kg) on Days 0, 7, 14 and 21 after birth. Lambs in Groups B and C were untreated. All lambs in Groups A and B were seropositive at 12 weeks of age. At 12 weeks of age, no differences between lambs in Group A and Group B were observed in serological results (ELISA and western blot), presence of N. caninum-related brain histopathological lesions or the number of organisms detected by qPCR. Group C remained negative for serology, detection of N. caninum DNA as well as histopathology throughout the study. Results indicate that N. caninum congenitally-infected lambs had a continuing infection with N. caninum despite being treated with toltrazuril.
Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia; Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4412, New Zealand. Electronic address: s.s.syed-hussain@massey.ac.nz.
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Syed-Hussain
Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4412, New Zealand.
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Howe
Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4412, New Zealand. Electronic address: W.Pomroy@massey.ac.nz.
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Pomroy
Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4412, New Zealand.
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West
Gribbles Veterinary Pathology, PO Box 12049, Penrose, Auckland 1642, New Zealand.
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Hardcastle
Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4412, New Zealand.
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Williamson
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D018688:Neospora / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014227:Triazines; C036670:toltrazuril
Congenital transmission; Lambs; N. caninum; Sheep; Toltrazuril; Treatment