Flourescent antibody test (FAT) was applied to determine the cross-reactivities of monoclonal (mAb), polyclonal (pAb) antibodies to Neospora, Toxoplasma and Cryptosporidium and antisera from cattle naturally infected with Neospora canium against antigens from a number of sources. Both mAb and pAb to Neospora reacted strongly (FAT titre up to 2560) with the homologous antigens and demonstrated weak titre (80) or no reaction with both Toxoplasma and Cryptosporidium antigens. Also mAb and pAb to Toxoplasma gondii reacted at titres of 80 - 640 with homologous antigens and at titres of 10-40 with N. caninum. No cross-reactions with either mAb or pAb antibodies to N. caninum and T. gondii were observed with Cryptosporidium parvum. The same results were observed with C. parvum mAb when tested with both N. caninum and T. gondii antigens. Sera from cattle naturally infected with N. caninum had titres ranging from 80- 640 with N. caninum antigens, and 10- 40 with T. gondii and C. parvum antigens. At low dilutions, the complete surfaces of Neospora and Toxoplasma parasites were fluorescent, while in higher dilutions only dotted fluorescence appeared on the apical complex. These results indicated the presence of cross-reactivity between Neospora and Toxoplasma but not with Cryptosporidium. Accordingly the recommended cut-off antibody titre for diagnosis of neosporosis is 80.
Antibodies ; Neospora ; Antigens ; Toxoplasma ; Upper Case En

Neospora caninum (Apicomplexa; Sarcocystidae) is a protozoan that causes abortion in cattle, horses, sheep, and dogs as well as neurological and dermatological diseases in dogs. In the central nervous system of dogs infected with N. caninum, cysts were detected that exhibited gliosis and meningitis. Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that exhibit antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal, and antiviral properties. In this study, we investigated the effects of flavonoids in a well-established in vitro model of N. caninum infection in glial cell cultures. Glial cells were treated individually with 10 different flavonoids, and a subset of cultures was also infected with the NC-1 strain of N. caninum. All of the flavonoids tested induced an increase in the metabolism of glial cells and many of them increased nitrite levels in cultures infected with NC-1 compared to controls and uninfected cultures. Among the flavonoids tested, 3',4'-dihydroxyflavone, 3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone (luteolin), and 3,3',4',5,6-pentahydroxyflavone (quercetin), also inhibited parasitophorous vacuole formation. Taken together, our findings show that flavonoids modulate glial cell responses, increase NO secretion, and interfere with N. caninum infection and proliferation.
Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Flavonoids/*pharmacology ; Immunologic Factors/*pharmacology ; Neospora/*drug effects/*growth & development ; Neuroglia/*drug effects/*parasitology ; Rats, Wistar

This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and to identify risk factors associated with Neospora spp. infection in horses in Jordan. Management related data were collected from each farm and individual horses. Sera from 227 horses from 5 of 6 climatic regions in Jordan were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to Neospora spp. by ELISA kit. The study was performed during spring of 2010. The association between seropositivity and risk factors was analyzed. A total of 7 (3%) of 227 sera had antibodies for Neospora spp. There was a significant regional difference (P=0.018) between the 5 climatic regions. Positive cases were located in Amman and Irbid, while the other regions (Zarqa, Jordan Valley, and Wadi Mousa) had zero prevalence. The use of anthelmintics at least once a year resulted in a significant reduction of the seroprevalence to Neospora spp. (1.6% vs 9.8%). However, this might be a phenomenon by chance and a better hygiene since owners can invest in anthelmintics. Other risk factors such as age, gender, breed, usage, body condition score, grazing, presence of other animals mixed with the horses in the same property, and a history of previous diseases were not significantly associated with the seroprevalence to Neospora spp. infection. This is the first study to report on the presence of Neospora seropositive horses in Jordan. Further studies are warranted to better understand the role of certain risk factors in the transmission of Neospora spp. among horse population and to determine which Neospora spp. are responsible for the infection.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Asymptomatic Diseases/epidemiology ; Coccidiosis/blood/epidemiology/*veterinary ; Female ; Horse Diseases/blood/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Horses ; Jordan/epidemiology ; Male ; Neospora/*immunology/physiology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

We analyzed alcoholic extracts of herbs possessing anti-neosporal activity against Neospora (N.) caninum. To identify the chemical components of Sophora (S.) flavescens and Torilis (T.) japonica associated with anti-neosporal activity, specific fractions were isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In vitro activity of the fractions against N. caninum was then assessed. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to identify and quantify specific anti-neosporal molecules in the herbal extracts. Almost all HPLC fractions of S. flavescens and T. japonica had higher levels of anti-neosporal activity compared to the not treated control. Active constituents of the extracts were sophoridane, furosardonin A, and tetraisopropylidene-cyclobutane in S. flavescens; 5,17-beta-dihydroxy-de-A-estra-5,7,9,14-tetraene, furanodiene, and 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-(CAS,1) in T. japonica.
Apiaceae/*chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Coccidiostats/*chemistry ; Fruit/chemistry ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Neospora/*drug effects/growth & development ; Plant Extracts/*chemistry ; Plant Roots/chemistry ; Sophora/*chemistry

Neospora caninum is a coccidian parasite of animals. It is a major pathogen for cattle and dogs and it occasionally causes clinical infections in horses, goats, sheep, and deer. Domestic dogs are the only known definitive hosts for N. caninum. It is one of the most efficiently transmitted parasite of cattle and up to 90% of cattle in some herds are infected. Transplacental transmission is considered the major route of transmission of N. caninum in cattle. Neospora caninum is a major cause of abortion in cattle in many countries. To elicit protective immunity against abortion in cows that already harbor a latent infection is a major problem. This paper reviews information on biology, diagnosis, epidemiology and control of neosporosis in animals.
Animals ; Buffaloes/parasitology ; Coccidiosis/diagnosis/epidemiology/transmission/*veterinary ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dogs ; Female ; Goats/parasitology ; Horses/parasitology ; Humans ; Neospora/*physiology ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Sheep/parasitology

The present study was attempted to compare the Neospora caninum (N. caninum) antigenic bands recognized by different bovine immunoglobulin classes. A total 10, 5, 2, and 6 antigenic bands were exhibited on immunoblot profiles against bovine IgM, IgE, IgA, and IgG, respectively. A 46 kDa band was probed as a common antigenic band except IgA; 69 kDa band was bovine IgM and IgE; 33, 37, 55, and 79 kDa bands were bovine IgM and IgG; 72 kDa band was found IgM and IgA profiles. Based on the analysis, it appeared that different immunoglobulin classes recognizing different antigenic molecules were cooperating to cope with neosporosis.
Animals ; Antigens, Protozoan/immunology ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/diagnosis/immunology/*parasitology ; Coccidiosis/diagnosis/immunology/parasitology/*veterinary ; Female ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin Idiotypes/diagnostic use/*immunology ; Neospora/*immunology

In this study a disperse dye immunoassay method was standardized and evaluated for detection of antibodies against Neospora caninum in cattle. Sera from 150 cattle with a recent history of abortion were collected and tested by commercial ELISA kit and a standardized in-house dye immunoassay system. The positivity rate for the sera used in this study was 34.6% for the disperse dye immunoassay (DDIA) compared to 32% obtained by ELISA kit. This study showed no significant difference between DDIA and ELISA. The results indicated that the DDIA provide an economic, simple, rapid and robust test for detection of N. caninum infection in cattle.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Coccidiosis/diagnosis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine/*methods ; Female ; Immunoassay/methods ; Neospora/*immunology ; Staining and Labeling/methods ; Veterinary Medicine/*methods

Neospora caninum is an important cause of abortion in cattle, and dogs are its only known definitive host. Its seroprevalence among domestic urban and rural dogs and feral raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis) in Korea was studied by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and by the neospora agglutination test (NAT), respectively. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in 8.3% of urban dogs and in 21.6% of dogs at dairy farms. Antibody titers ranged from 1: 50 to 1: 400. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in six (23%) of 26 raccoon dogs. However, the potential role of raccoon dogs as a source of horizontal transmission of bovine neosporosis needs further investigation. The results of this study suggest that there is a close relationship between N. caninum infection among dairy farm dogs and cattle in Korea. This study reports for the first time upon the seroprevalence of N. caninum infection in raccoon dogs in Korea.
Animals ; Animals, Domestic ; Animals, Wild ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Carnivora/*parasitology ; Coccidiosis/epidemiology/*veterinary ; Dog Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Dogs ; Korea/epidemiology ; Neospora/*immunology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

An ELISA was established to measure bovine IgG directed against the recombinant antigenic determinant of Nc-p43, a major surface antigen of Neospora caninum. In a previous study, two thirds of the Cterminal of the molecule was expressed as a 6 x His tagged protein (Ncp43P) for ELISA using 2/3 of the N-terminal of SAG1 from Toxoplasma gondii as a control (TgSAG1A). Among 852 cattle sera collected from stock farms scattered nation-wide, 103 sera (12.1%) were found to react with Ncp43P positively, but no positive reaction was observed with TgSAG1A. This study shows that Ncp43P could be available as an efficient antigen for the diagnosis of neosporosis in cattle. Furthermore, it together with TgSAG1A, could be useful for the differential diagnosis of N. caninum and T. gondii infections in other mammals.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/diagnosis/epidemiology ; Coccidiosis/diagnosis/epidemiology/veterinary ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods/*veterinary ; Immunoglobulin G/*analysis ; Neospora/*immunology ; Protozoan Proteins/*immunology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

Congenital Neospora caninum infection was diagnosed in two Saanen goat kids from two distinct herds with a history of abortion and weak newborn goat kids in the Southern region of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The first kid was weak at birth, had difficulty to rise and was unable to nurse. Gross lesions of porencephaly and hydrocephalus ex vacuo were seen. Multifocal necrosis, gliosis and non-supurative encephalitis were observed in the brain. Several parasitic cysts with a thick wall that reacted strongly only with polyclonal antiserum to Neospora caninum were seen in the cerebral cortex, brain stem and cerebellum. The second kid was born from a Neospora caninum seropositive mother that aborted in the last pregnancy. It was born without clinical signs. The diagnosis of neosporosis was based on antibody titer of 1:800 to N. caninum by indirect fluorescence antibody test obtained from blood collected before the goat kid ingested the colostrum and Neospora caninum DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced from placenta. This is the first report of neosporosis in goats in the southeast region of Brazil.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/immunology ; Brazil ; Coccidiosis/congenital/immunology/parasitology/*veterinary ; Female ; Goat Diseases/congenital/immunology/*parasitology ; Goats ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Neospora/genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification/physiology ; Pregnancy