title: Experimental caprine neosporosis: the influence of gestational stage on the outcome of infection.
abstract: Here, we assessed outcome of experimental infection by Neospora caninum in goats intravenously inoculated with 10(6) tachyzoites of the Nc-Spain7 isolate at 40 (G1), 90 (G2) and 120 (G3) days of gestation. Infected goats had fever between 5 and 9 days post inoculation (dpi); all were seropositive at the time of abortion/birth. Foetal death occurred in G1 from 10 to 21 dpi (n = 7) and in G2 from 27 to 35 dpi (n = 4). Goats in G2 also had seropositive stillbirth (n = 1) and healthy kids (n = 2). G3 goats (n = 7) had 3 seropositive and 3 seronegative weak kids, and 2 seronegative healthy kids. Parasite DNA detection in placentomes was 100% in G2, 85.7% in G3 and in G1 was detected only in placentomes from the goats with foetal losses from 17 dpi (100%). Parasites were detected in foetal/kid brain (>85.7%) and liver (≥ 50%) of G2 and G3, and in G1 after 17 dpi (100%). The highest parasite loads were detected in the placentomes of G1 from 17 dpi and G2, and in foetal tissues of G1 from 17 dpi and G3. Multifocal necrotic lesions were observed in the placentas of the three groups, but they were larger and more frequent in G1 and G2. Similar lesions were observed in foetal tissues, but they were more frequent in G3. These findings suggest that, as observed in cattle and sheep, the clinical consequences of N. caninum in pregnant goats are dependent in part on the time of gestation when animals were infected.
authors: Campus Arapiraca-Unidade Educacional Viçosa, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Viçosa, AL, Brazil. wagnnerporto@vicosa.ufal.br.
authors: Wagnner José Nascimento
authors: WJ
authors: Porto
authors: SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain. jregidor@ucm.es.
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Regidor-Cerrillo
authors: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. kim_pomy@hotmail.com.
authors: Pomy de Cássia Peixoto
authors: Pde C
authors: Kim
authors: Livestock Health and Production Institute (ULE-CSIC), 24346, León, Spain. j.benavides@eae.csic.es.
authors: Julio
authors: J
authors: Benavides
authors: Campus Arapiraca-Unidade Educacional Viçosa, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Viçosa, AL, Brazil. aninha15@live.com.pt.
authors: Ana Clécia dos Santos
authors: AC
authors: Silva
authors: SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain. phorcajo@ucm.es.
authors: Pilar
authors: P
authors: Horcajo
authors: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. andreaafo@hotmail.com.
authors: Andrea Alice da Fonseca
authors: AA
authors: Oliveira
authors: SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain. iferrepe@ucm.es.
authors: Ignacio
authors: I
authors: Ferre
authors: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. rinaldo.mota@hotmail.com.
authors: Rinaldo Aparecido
authors: RA
authors: Mota
authors: SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain. luis.ortega@vet.ucm.es.
authors: Luis Miguel
authors: LM
authors: Ortega-Mora
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D006041:Goats; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000662:veterinary*; D018688:Neospora / Q000502:physiology*; D059208:Parasite Load / Q000662:veterinary; D010920:Placenta / Q000469:parasitology; D011247:Pregnancy