scholarly journals Brazilian donkeys (Equus asinus) have a low exposure to Neospora spp.

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 340-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Maria Morais de Queiroz Galvão ◽  
Mariana Marrega Rezende-Gondim ◽  
Ana Carla Rodrigues Chaves ◽  
Gereon Schares ◽  
Jorge Raimundo Lins Ribas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Minor Importance ◽  
Protozoan Parasites ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Equus Asinus ◽  
Antibody Titers ◽  
Low Exposure

Donkeys (Equus asinus) are closely related to horses and are known to be infected by several equine pathogens. Neospora caninum and Neospora hughesi are protozoan parasites that infect horses, but they were not confirmed in donkeys up to this date. The aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure of donkeys (Equus asinus) to Neospora spp. using tachyzoites of N. caninum as antigen and employing two common serologic methods, IFAT and immunoblot. Sera from 500 donkeys were obtained from 30 municipalities in Bahia state and tested by IFAT. Two of 500 sera were positive for Neospora spp. by IFAT with antibody titers of 100, and recognized a 37kDa antigen in immunoblot. Approximately 22% of the samples showed strong apical reactions and/or incomplete fluorescence, what may cause confusion in the interpretation of IFAT. We concluded that Neospora spp. are possibly of minor importance for Brazilian donkeys. Future studies are necessary to prove that Neospora spp. can naturally infect donkeys.

scholarly journals Apicomplexan Protozoa Responsible for Reproductive Disorders: Occurrence of DNA in Blood and Milk of Donkeys (Equus asinus) and Minireview of the Related Literature

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 111
Author(s):  
Stefania Perrucci ◽  
Lisa Guardone ◽  
Iolanda Altomonte ◽  
Federica Salari ◽  
Simona Nardoni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Species ◽  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Reproductive Disorders ◽  
Theileria Equi ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Related Literature ◽  
Milk Samples ◽  
Equus Asinus ◽  
Time Periods ◽  
Blood Specimens

Donkeys may be susceptible to many pathological agents and may act as carriers of pathogens for other animal species and humans. This study evaluated the occurrence of potentially abortifacient apicomplexan protozoa DNA in blood and milk samples collected at different time periods during lactation (1, 6, and 10 months) from 33 healthy dairy jennies. A total of 73 blood and 73 milk samples were used for DNA extraction and analysis. Blood specimens from 11/33 (33%) jennies scored positive for Theileria equi, while milk samples scored negative. Blood and milk of 3/33 jennies yielded DNA of Toxoplasma gondii at 6 months (n. 1) and 10 months (n. 2) after parturition. Neospora caninum DNA was found in four milk and in five blood samples only at one month after parturition. This study is the first report about the presence of N. caninum DNA in milk of naturally infected jennies. Moreover, the excretion of N. caninum DNA in some of these jennies at 30 days from the parturition may suggest a possible occurrence of an endogenous cycle, while the presence of T. gondii DNA in the milk collected at 6 and 10 months after parturition may be suggestive of a discontinuous excretion.

scholarly journals Immunodominant T-Cell Epitopes in the VP1 Capsid Protein of Rhinovirus Species A and C

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (23) ◽  
pp. 10459-10471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cibele M. Gaido ◽  
Shane Stone ◽  
Abha Chopra ◽  
Wayne R. Thomas ◽  
Peter N. Le Souëf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Antibody Responses ◽  
T Cell Proliferation ◽  
T Cell Epitopes ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Asthma Exacerbations ◽  
Antibody Titers ◽  
Vp1 Capsid Protein

ABSTRACTRhinovirus (RV) species A and C are the most frequent cause of respiratory viral illness worldwide, and RV-C has been linked to more severe exacerbations of asthma in young children. Little is known about the immune responses to the different RV species, although studies comparing IgG1 antibody titers found impaired antibody responses to RV-C. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether T-cell immunity to RV-C is similarly impaired. We measured T-cell proliferation to overlapping synthetic peptides covering the entire VP1 capsid protein of an RV-A and RV-C genotype for 20 healthy adult donors. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) was typed in all the donors in order to investigate possible associations between the HLA type and RV peptide recognition. Total and specific IgG1 antibody titers to the VP1 proteins of both RV-A and RV-C were also measured to examine associations between the antibody and T-cell responses. We identified T-cell epitopes that are specific to and representative of each RV-A and RV-C species. These epitopes stimulated CD4+-specific T-cell proliferation, with similar magnitudes of response for both RV species. All the donors, independent of their HLA-DR or -DQ type, were able to recognize the immunodominant RV-A and -C regions of VP1. Furthermore, the presence or absence of specific antibody titers was not related to changes in T-cell recognition. Our results indicate a dissociation between the antibody and T-cell responses to rhinoviruses. The species-representative T-cell epitopes identified in this study are valuable tools for future studies investigating T-cell responses to the different RV species.IMPORTANCERhinoviruses (RVs) are mostly associated with the common cold and asthma exacerbations, although their contributions to most upper and lower respiratory tract diseases have increasingly been reported. Species C (RV-C) has been associated with more frequent and severe asthma exacerbations in young children and, along with RV-A, is the most clinically relevant species. Little is known about how our immune system responds to rhinoviruses, and there are limited tools to study specific adaptive immunity against each rhinovirus species. In this study, we identified immunodominant T-cell epitopes of the VP1 proteins of RV-A and RV-C, which are representative of each species. The study found that T-cell responses to RV-A and RV-C were of similar magnitudes, in contrast with previous findings showing RV-C-specific antibody responses were low. These findings will provide the basis for future studies on the immune response to rhinoviruses and can help elucidate the mechanisms of severity of rhinovirus-induced infections.

Anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in feral cats on the Island of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 645-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Débora Costa Viegas de Lima ◽  
Fernando Jorge Rodrigues Magalhães ◽  
Muller Ribeiro Andrade ◽  
José Givanildo da Silva ◽  
Eduardo Guelfer Ferrer de Morais ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Neuromuscular Diseases ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Environmental Preservation ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Fernando De Noronha ◽  
Antibody Titers ◽  
Neospora Agglutination Test

Abstract Neospora caninum is a protozoan responsible for abortions, stillbirths (mainly among cattle) and neuromuscular diseases in dogs. Its importance in wild species and its impact on the environmental preservation of different ecosystems have been little described. This study aimed to investigate the presence of anti-N. caninum antibodies in feral cats on the island of Fernando de Noronha and contribute epidemiological data on this disease in these animals and its impact on the environmental preservation of the island. Serum samples from 257 feral cats on the island were analyzed through the Neospora agglutination test (NAT) to search for anti-Neospora caninum antibodies. Among the 257 serum samples analyzed, 8 (3.11%) were positive in the NAT. The antibody titers were 20 in seven animals (87.5%) and 40 in one animal (12.5%). These results demonstrate that feral cats are exposed to infection by N. caninum on the island of Fernando de Noronha, at a low frequency. Greater knowledge on this infection in this animal species in this insular environment is important for elucidating its impact on the conservation of species and the maintenance of this parasite on the island.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Sarcocystis Species DNA in the Heart and Breast Muscles of Rock Pigeons (Columbia livia)

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Mudasser Nazir ◽  
Muhammad Mazhar Ayaz ◽  
Atif Nisar Ahmed ◽  
Azhar Maqbool ◽  
Kamran Ashraf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Environmental Contamination ◽  
Breast Tissue ◽  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Breast Muscle ◽  
Sarcocystis Species ◽  
Protozoan Parasites ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Columbia Livia ◽  
Animal Sciences

Little is known about the prevalence of protozoan parasites in the muscles of rock pigeons (Columbia livia). The muscles from 54 (heart from 45 and breast from 54) rock pigeons were examined for DNA of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Sarcocystis species using PCR. Twenty-four were female and 30 were males. The birds were part of flocks of pigeons housed at the tombs of saints in Lahore, Pakistan. Birds that died or were euthanized due to poor health were submitted for necropsy at the Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan, where DNA isolations and PCR were conducted. Nineteen (35.1%) of the birds were positive for T. gondii DNA. Seven males and 12 females were positive. Breast tissue was always infected in T. gondii positive birds, while the heart was infected in 13 (28.8%) of breast positive birds. Five (9.2%) of the pigeons, 2 males and 3 females, were positive for N. caninum. The distribution of N. caninum DNA was more variable in the muscles of pigeons than T. gondii and was found only in the heart of 1 (female), heart and breast muscle of 2 (male), and only the breast muscle of 2 birds (female). One of the 54 rock pigeons (female) was positive for both T. gondii (heart and breast) and N. caninum (heart only). Two of the positive Neospora caninum amplicons were sequenced and had 97% nucleotide identity with N. caninum isolates. Sarcocystis DNA was not found in any bird. The prevalence of T. gondii in rock pigeons and their predation by cats suggest that they may play an unrecognized role in maintaining environmental contamination with T. gondii oocysts by cats. Our study indicates that rock pigeons are intermediate hosts of N. caninum and this information will aid in understanding the epidemiology of N. caninum.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Neospora caninum in crossbred dairy cows in Uberlândia

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 1585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nayara Resende Nasciutti ◽  
Patrícia Magalhães de Oliveira ◽  
Vinícius De Morais Barbosa ◽  
Selwyn Arlington Headley ◽  
Felipe Gonçalves Garcia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Reproductive Disorders ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
History Of ◽  
Antibody Titers ◽  
Associated Risk Factors ◽  
The City

Neospora caninum causes reproductive disorders in dairy cattle such as repeat breeding, abortion, and anestrus, which are risk factors associated with the seroprevalence of N. caninum in Brazil and worldwide. This study aimed to verify the risk factors related to the seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in crossbred dairy cows in the city of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais. During, January to July 2013, 740 blood samples were collected from 57 herds with a history of reproductive disorders and determinations of antibody titers against N. caninum were obtained by ELISA assay. The seroprevalence of N. caninum was 18.4% (136/740). Risk factors for N. caninum were cows greater than 2 years of age (P = 0.034), mechanical milking (P = 0.012), and frequent purchase of animals (P = 0.004), in addition to individual history of abortion (P = 0.007) and repeat breeding (P = 0.030). The highest probability of occurrence of associated risk factors was associated with individual history of abortion and repeated breeding and the frequent purchase of animals, with odds of 12.8, 5.9, and 3.8 times, respectively. In conclusion, the risk factors associated with N. caninum: members of the female sex and cows with more than 2 years-of-age, mechanical milking, and the frequent purchase of animals, in addition to individual history of abortion and repeated breeding.

Neospora caninum, a cause of abortion in donkeys (Equus asinus) in Iran

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyedeh Shabnam Rahmani ◽  
Farnaz Malekifard ◽  
Mousa Tavassoli
Keyword(s):  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Equus Asinus

scholarly journals Occurrence of anti-Neospora caninum and anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 527-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raul R. Ribeiro ◽  
Manoel E. Silva ◽  
Sydnei M. Silva ◽  
Gustavo O. Fulgêncio ◽  
Hilda F.J. Pena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test ◽  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Fluorescent Antibody ◽  
Antibody Test ◽  
Canine Leishmaniasis ◽  
Leishmania Chagasi ◽  
Clinical Forms ◽  
Antibody Titers

Uninfected dogs and those naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi exhibiting different clinical forms of disease were evaluated for the presence of anti-Neospora caninum and anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. Blood samples were collected from 110 mongrel dogs. Sera were tested using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), and the animals with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) (n=60) were classified clinically. Out of the 110 sera investigated, 5 (4.5%) were positive for N. caninum (IFAT>50) and 36 (32.7%) for T. gondii (IFAT>16). Anti-L. chagasi antibody titers in asymptomatic dogs (n=10) were found to be significantly lower (P<0.05) than those in oligosymptomatic ones (n=22), which were in turn significantly lower (P<0.05) than those in symptomatic ones (n=28). No association between Leishmania and N. caninum infections was observed. Among dogs infected with L. chagasi, a tendency (P=0.053) towards an association between the infection with T. gondii and the appearance of VL symptoms was observed, suggesting that the clinical manifestation of VL in dogs may enhance their susceptibility to T. gondii. The possible influence of the immunosuppressive status of canine leishmaniasis in the different clinical forms of the disease is discussed.

scholarly journals The prevalence ofNeospora caninumand co-infection withToxoplasma gondiiby PCR analysis in naturally occurring mammal populations

Parasitology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 132 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. HUGHES ◽  
R. H. WILLIAMS ◽  
E. K. MORLEY ◽  
D. A. N. COOK ◽  
R. S. TERRY ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rattus Norvegicus ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Ovis Aries ◽  
Pcr Analysis ◽  
Mus Domesticus ◽  
Protozoan Parasites ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Pcr Techniques

Neospora caninumandToxoplasma gondiiare closely related intracellular protozoan parasites associated with bovine and ovine abortion respectively. Little is known about the extent ofNeospora/Toxoplasmaco-infection in naturally infected populations of animals. Using nested PCR techniques, based on primers from the Nc5 region ofN. caninumand SAG1 forT. gondii, the prevalence ofN. caninumand its co-infection withT. gondiiwere investigated in populations ofMus domesticus,Rattus norvegicusand aborted lambs (Ovis aries). A low frequency of infection withN. caninumwas detected in theMus domesticus(3%) andRattus norvegicus(4·4%) populations. A relatively high frequency of infection withN. caninumwas detected in the brains of aborted lambs (18·9%). There was no significant relationship betweenN. caninumandT. gondiico-infection. Investigation of the tissue distribution ofNeospora, in aborted lambs, showed thatNeosporacould not be detected in tissues other than brain and this was in contrast toToxoplasmawhere the parasite could be frequently detected in a range of tissues.

scholarly journals The Effect of Vaccination with Neospora caninum Live-Frozen Tachyzoites on Abortion Rates of Naturally Infected Pregnant Cows

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 401
Author(s):  
Monica L. Mazuz ◽  
Benjamin Leibovitz ◽  
Igor Savitsky ◽  
Elena Blinder ◽  
Daniel Yasur-Landau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Efficacy ◽  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Field Conditions ◽  
High Antibody ◽  
Live Attenuated Vaccine ◽  
Attenuated Vaccine ◽  
Antibody Titers ◽  
Positive Results ◽  
Caninum Tachyzoites

Neosporosis is a major cause of abortions in cattle worldwide. Recently a live attenuated vaccine showing promising results in preventing abortions, when administered at mid-pregnancy to seropositive cows, was developed. In this study, vaccination with 2 × 108 live frozen N. caninum tachyzoites (NcIs491) was used to immunize naturally infected seropositive pregnant dairy dams. The study was performed under field conditions in four herds, and a follow-up of three subsequent pregnancies was analyzed. A total of 1136 cows were serologically examined. Total seroprevalence was 41.4%, with 25.1% of the cows having titers of 1:800 or higher. Abortion rates were significantly higher in cows with high antibody titers (≥1:800) for two consecutive pregnancies. Vaccination was administered to 114 out of 285 cows with antibody titers higher than 1:800. Immunization resulted in lower abortion rates at three of the farms. Vaccine efficacy ranged from −19.8% to 75% at different farms, with overall efficacy of 28.4% in all four farms and overall efficacy of 58.2% in the three farms with positive results. Our results showed different vaccine efficacy in studied farms, suggesting that frozen live vaccination may generally be an effective method to control neosporosis in cattle.

scholarly journals Assessment of transplacental transmission of Neospora caninum in dairy cattle in the Agreste region of Pernambuco

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 516-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inalda Angélica de Souza Ramos ◽  
Rafael José da Silva ◽  
Thiago Arcoverde Maciel ◽  
José Augusto Bastos Afonso da Silva ◽  
Otavio Luiz Fidelis Junior ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Transmission Rate ◽  
Elisa Test ◽  
Transplacental Transmission ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Caninum Infection ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Antibody Titers

Abstract The transplacental transmission is the primary route of Neospora caninum infection in bovine herds around the world. This study aimed to determine the frequency of transplacental transmission of the parasite in dairy cattle of Agreste region of Pernambuco through serological tests (IFAT and ELISA). Three hundred sixteen serum samples from cows and heifers and their offspring were analyzed. The transplacental transmission rate was 72.22% (13/18) for cows and 69.23% (9/13) for heifers by IFAT. ELISA test showed transplacental transmission rate of 43.58% (17/39) for cows and 50% (9/18) for heifers. The transplacental transmission rates were similar, in both groups in test, but a higher seropositivity was found in cows by IFAT. Data were statistically analyzed using the chi-square and Fisher’s exact test. A significant relationship of dependence between seropositivity of mothers and their offspring was found. The more frequent IFAT antibody titers and ELISA levels for N. caninum were, respectively, 200 and between four (cows) and five (heifers and offspring). In the Spearman correlation, no association was found between the magnitude of antibody titers for N. caninum between mothers and their offspring. The kappa test showed an index of 0.35, indicating a mild correlation between the serological tests used. The study suggests that cows and heifers are the main transmitters of N. caninum in the studied region and that vertical transmission is the major form of transmission in dairy herds of the Agreste region of Pernambuco.

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