title: Risk factors involved in transmission of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infection in rabbit farms in Northern Italy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In Italy, rabbits are frequently reared for meat production. The aim of the study was to find the seroprevalence of T. gondii and N. caninum parasites, and risk factors of infection in rabbit farms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples from 260 apparently healthy breeding rabbits were collected on 13 commercial farms in Northern Italy. Rabbits were divided into categories according to age, number of births, breed, province and size of farm. Samples were tested for antibodies to T. gondii and N. caninum using the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT); samples with a titre ≥ 50 were considered positive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibodies to T. gondii and N. caninum were found in 38 (14.6 %) and 3 (1.2 %) rabbits, respectively. A statistically significant difference (p-value ≤ 0.05) was found only in T. gondii prevalence among different rabbit breeds and provinces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rabbits from Northern Italy are at risk of T. gondii and N. caninum infection; however, it is lower compared to seroprevalence noted in other animal species or in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Tereza
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Machacova
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bártová
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology and Serology, State Veterinary Institute Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Kamil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sedlak
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Budikova
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Legnaro (Padua), Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piccirillo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008301:Maleimides; D000075163:Metallocenes; D018688:Neospora / Q000502:physiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011817:Rabbits; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000502:physiology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D008301:Maleimides; D000075163:Metallocenes; C100759:N-(2-ferrocene-ethyl)maleimide