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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #312013
Title: Low prevalence of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dogs in Jilin, Henan and Anhui Provinces of the People’s Republic of China

Author
item YANG, YUOMG - Henan Agricultural University
item ZHANG, QIONGFANG - Henan Agricultural University
item KONG, YANGGUANG - Henan Agricultural University
item YING, YUQUING - Henan Agricultural University
item Kwok, Oliver
item LLANG, HONGDE - Henan Agricultural University
item Dubey, Jitender

Submitted to: BioMed Central (BMC) Veterinary Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/5/2014
Publication Date: 12/12/2014
Publication URL: http://doi:10.1186/s12917-014-0295-3
Citation: Yang, Y., Zhang, Q., Kong, Y., Ying, Y., Kwok, O.C., Llang, H., Dubey, J.P. 2014. Low prevalence of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dogs in Jilin, Henan and Anhui Provinces of the People’s Republic of China. BioMed Central (BMC) Veterinary Research. 10:295.

Interpretive Summary: Toxoplasma gondii an obligate, single-celled, protozoan parasite continues to be a major zoonotic health concern in human and veterinary medicine because it is capable of infecting any warm-blooded vertebrate intermediate host. As the definitive host, cats are fundamental in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis. Millions of oocysts can be excreted in the feces of a single cat and oocysts can survive outdoors for months. Viable T. gondii has been isolated from feces of naturally infected dogs, indicating that the dog can act as a mechanical vector following the ingestion of infected cat feces. Humans can also become infected by petting dogs that have rolled in cat feces. Because of their close association with humans dogs are considered good sentinel for environmental contamination with this parasite.Additionally dog meat is consumed by humans in China. In the present study authors found antibodies to T. gondii were found in 35 of 425 (8.24%) dogs from China indicating environnmental contamination with T. gondii. This study should be of interest veterinarians and public health workers.

Technical Abstract: Background: Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are important pathogens of worldwide distribution. N. caninum is a major cause of abortion in cattle and dogs are main reservoirs because they excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts. Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis and dogs are considered as sentinels for this parasite because of their close contact with people and cats; additionally dog meat is also used for human consumption in China. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of N. caninum and T. gondii infection in dogs from China. A total of 425 countryside dog hearts in Jilin, Henan and Anhui provinces of the People’s Republic of China were collected from slaughter houses in two batches; the first batch of 96 in October 2013, and the second batch of 329 in April 2014. Serum samples extracted from 96 dog hearts were tested for antibodies to N. caninum and from 425 dog hearts were tested for T. gondii antibodies in the modified agglutination tests (cut-off 1:25 for both), using respective antigens. Results: Antibodies to N. caninum were 6 of 96 (6.25%) of dogs with titers of 1:25 in 2, 1:50 in 3, and 1:100 in 1. All seropositive dogs were more than 1 year old. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 35 of 425 (8.24%) dogs with titers of 1:25 in 15, 1:50 in 14; and 1:100 in 6. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated low prevalence of N. caninum and T. gondii antibodies in dogs of China, compared with Europe and America. Identification of the risk factors that underlie these differences may help prevention of neosporosis and toxoplasmosis.