Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum-specific antibodies in German breeding bitches

Rodolfo Villagra-Blanco,Andrea Bärwald,Anja Taubert,Theresa Conze,Gereon Schares,Axel Wehrend,Lora Angelova,Carlos Hermosilla

doi:10.1186/s13071-018-2683-1

Abstract

BackgroundNeospora caninum is an intracellular obligate apicomplexan parasite responsible for multisystemic lesions in dogs. Being definitive hosts and reservoirs, dogs excrete environmentally resistant oocysts. Breeding bitches represent a susceptible dog group and infected bitches may spread this parasite through transplacental transmission.ResultsA total of 218 serum samples of German breeding bitches were collected to determine the presence of N. caninum. Antibodies were detected in 16 (7.33%) bitches using a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunoblotting analysis confirmed all seropositive samples detected by ELISA, proving that the animals were infected with N. caninum. The owners were interviewed regarding breed, age, environment, type, vaccine status, feeding habits and the presence of reproductive disorders. Seropositive animals were between the ages of two to seven years; three of them were kept in kennels while the others were household dogs, one of which was additionally a hunting dog. Owners of four seropositive bitches reported one gestation, while multiple pregnancies had been recorded for the other twelve bitches. Fourteen bitches were regularly vaccinated and six were fed with fresh raw meat.ConclusionsAlthough the results confirmed a low incidence of N. caninum seropositive German breeding bitches, further epidemiological and surveillance studies are required to complement our findings regarding the current situation of neosporosis in this specific canine population of Germany.

Highlights

Neospora caninum is an intracellular obligate apicomplexan parasite responsible for multisystemic lesions in dogs
European studies revealed differences in N. caninum seroprevalence; three of them were kept in kennels while the others were household dogs, one of which was a hunting dog of various canine populations, presenting with15.3% seroprevalence in Denmark [9], 3.6% in Austria [26], 2.6–19.2% in Czech Republic [27], 17.2% in Serbia [28], 32.7% in Romania [29], 16.36% or 21.7% in Poland [25, 30], 10.9% in Italy [31], 12.2% in Spain [32],0.5% in Sweden [33] and 4% or 13% in Germany [34]
The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of N. caninum antibodies in German breeding female dogs and describe the characteristics of seropositive animals that may be correlated with this parasite and their potential involvement in reproductive disease

Summary

Introduction

Neospora caninum is an intracellular obligate apicomplexan parasite responsible for multisystemic lesions in dogs. Being definitive hosts and reservoirs, dogs excrete environmentally resistant oocysts. Breeding bitches represent a susceptible dog group and infected bitches may spread this parasite through transplacental transmission. Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan obligate intracellular parasite that causes multisystemic lesions in dogs [1,2,3,4,5]. Dogs can act as definitive as well as intermediate hosts during N. caninum infections [6, 7]. Neospora caninum infections can occur through horizontal and vertical transmission. Female dogs that have given birth to pups congenitally infected with N. caninum do not present any clinical signs [13]. Transmission of the protozoan to offspring in succeeding generations can occur [3, 16]

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