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Title: CLINICAL, BIOLOGIC, MORPHOLOGIC, AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERISATION OF NEOSPORA CANINUM INFECTIONS IN LITTERMATE DOGS

Author
item Dubey, Jitender
item SREEKUMAR, C - USDA ARS BELTSVILLE MD
item KNICKMAN, E - MADONNA VET CLINIC MD
item Miska, Kate
item VIANNA, M - USDA ARS BELTSVILLE MD
item Kwok, Oliver
item Hill, Dolores
item Jenkins, Mark
item LINDSAY, D - VIRGINIA TECH.
item GREENE, C - U GEORGIA ATHENS

Submitted to: International Journal for Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/14/2004
Publication Date: 6/14/2004
Citation: Dubey, J.P., Sreekumar, C., Knickman, E., Miska, K.B., Vianna, M.C., Kwok, O.C., Hill, D.E., Jenkins, M.C., Lindsay, D.S., Greene, C.E. 2004. Clinical, biologic, morphologic, and molecular characterisation of neospora caninum infections in littermate dogs. International Journal for Parasitology 34:1157-1167.

Interpretive Summary: Neospora caninum is a single celled parasite that causes abortion in cattle worldwide. The dog is the main reservoir host. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center report isolation of Neospora caninium from 3 littermate dogs from Maryland. These results will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists and veterinarians.

Technical Abstract: Clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment with clindamycin, isolation, and molecular studies of Neospora caninum from three littermate dogs are described. Three of the 11 dogs from a Labrador bitch developed ataxia and one had megaesophagus. Treatment with clindamycin for two months was beneficial in resolving the clinical illness, but did not eradicate the parasite. Lesions and tissue cysts were confined to the brain and striated muscles. Neospora caninum was isolated (isolates NC-6, NC-7, and NC-8) in rodents, and cell culture that had been inoculated with brain tissue from the dogs. Schizont 'like stages reactive with N. caninum antibodies were seen in cell cultures seeded with bradyzoites released from Percoll-isolated N. caninum tissue cysts from the brain of one dog. Tissue cysts were infective orally to mice and gerbils, but not to cats. The isolates were also identified as N. caninum by PCR and sequence analysis.