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Title: FIRST ISOLATION OF NEOSPORA CANINUM FROM AN ABORTED BOVINE FETUS IN SPAIN

Author
item CANADA, N - ICBAS, U PORTO PORTUGAL
item MEIRELES, C - CECA U PORTO PORTUGAL
item MEZO, M - LA CORUNA SPAIN
item WARLETA, M - LA CORUNA SPAIN
item CORREIA DA COSTA, J - CPIB PORTO PORTUGAL
item SREEKUMAR, C - ANRI APDL BELTSVILLE MD
item Hill, Dolores
item Miska, Kate
item Dubey, Jitender

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/26/2004
Publication Date: 3/24/2004
Citation: Canada, N., Meireles, C.S., Mezo, M., Warleta, M., Correia Da Costa, J.M., Sreekumar, C., Hill, D.E., Miska, K.B., Dubey, J.P. 2004. First isolation of neospora caninum from an aborted bovine fetus in spain. Journal of Parasitology 90:863-864.

Interpretive Summary: Neospora caninium is a single celled parasite that causes abortion in cattle worldwide. The dog is he main reservoir host. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Resarch Center and the University of Porto Portugal have isolated N. caninum from Spain on aborted bovine fetus for the first time. These results will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists and veterinarians.

Technical Abstract: Neospora caninum was isolated from the brain of a 6-mo- old aborted bovine fetus from Galicia, Spain. The fetal brain homogenate was inoculated intraperitoneally into cortisonized mice. The peritoneal exudate from the infected mice, along with mouse sarcoma cells (Tg180) was inoculated into a second group of mice and parasites were harvested from the peritoneal exudate. The parasites were adapted to in vitro growth in Vero monolayers. The tachyzoites from the peritoneal exudate reacted positively with anti-N. caninum antibodies and not with anti- Toxoplasma gondii antibodies on indirect fluorescent antibody test. The tachyzoites were lethal to interferon gamma gene knock out (KO) mice and could be identified immunohistochemically in the tissues. The identity of the parasite was also confirmed by PCR amplification of N. caninum specific fragments. The sequences of the amplified gene 5 fragment (GenBank accession No. AY494944) were found to be identical to that of an Austrian isolate of N. caninum, but not with that of NC-1.This is the first isolation of viable N. caninum from Spain.