Journal article
Diagnostic significance of Neospora caninum DNA detected by PCR in cattle serum
Veterinary Parasitology, Vol.142(3-4), pp.207-213
20/12/2006
Abstract
A nested PCR that successfully detected Neospora caninum DNA in serum of cattle was used for investigation of selected abortion cases and in a study of healthy pregnant cows at an abattoir. N. caninum DNA was not detected in serum from antibody positive dams that aborted due to N. caninum, but was present in serum of some antibody negative dams that aborted due to other causes. N. caninum DNA was also found in the serum of about half of the animals that aborted of undetermined cause, but was not detected in cow sera from two beef cattle herds in Western Australia with no recent history of abortion. In the abattoir study of 79 dams and their foetuses N. caninum DNA was found in serum of 3 dams and in material from 11 foetuses. The majority of the cows and all foetuses were antibody negative. Our findings suggest that there is no obvious relationship between the presence or absence of N. caninum DNA in serum and the presence of antibodies to N. caninum in dams, the presence of N. caninum DNA in foetuses or abortion due to N. caninum. This is the first report of the detection of N. caninum DNA in serum of cattle rather than the white blood cell fraction. It indicates the presence of free tachyzoites and/or parasite DNA in circulation. The results suggest that persistent infection in the absence of antibodies is a possible outcome of N. caninum infection. Infection of foetuses in the absence of antibodies supports the possibility of persistent infection due to immunotolerance to an early in utero infection. It is therefore important to test for N. caninum DNA as well as antibodies for the detection of exposed and/or infected animals. However, the presence or absence of N. caninum antibodies or DNA did not support nor exclude N. caninum as the cause of abortion. Additional criteria are required for a positive diagnosis of abortion caused by N. caninum.
Details
- Title
- Diagnostic significance of Neospora caninum DNA detected by PCR in cattle serum
- Authors/Creators
- L.M. McInnes (Author/Creator) - Murdoch UniversityU.M. Ryan (Author/Creator) - Murdoch UniversityR. O'Handley (Author/Creator)H. Sager (Author/Creator) - University of BernD. Forshaw (Author/Creator) - Animal Health Laboratories, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, 444 Albany Highway, Albany, Western Australia 6330, AustraliaD.G. Palmer (Author/Creator) - Government of Western Australia
- Publication Details
- Veterinary Parasitology, Vol.142(3-4), pp.207-213
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Identifiers
- 991005540015807891
- Copyright
- Crown Copyright © 2006.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Metrics
56 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Citation topics
- 1 Clinical & Life Sciences
- 1.217 Parasitology - Malaria, Toxoplasmosis & Coccidiosis
- 1.217.1038 Toxoplasma Gondii
- Web Of Science research areas
- Parasitology
- Veterinary Sciences
- ESI research areas
- Plant & Animal Science