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Title: PREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES TO NEOSPORA CANINUM IN WILD ANIMALS.

Author
item Dubey, Jitender
item THULLIEZ, P - FRANCE

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2005
Publication Date: 10/31/2005
Citation: Dubey, J.P., Thulliez, P. 2005. Prevalence of antibodies to neospora caninum in wild animals. Journal of Parasitology 91:1217-1218.

Interpretive Summary: Infection by the single-celled parasite Neospora caninum causes abortion in livestock. Little is known of its prevalence in wildlife. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center report prevalence of antibodies to N. caninum in many species of wildlife from the U.S. including the American bison, musk ox, bears and caribou. These results will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists and veterinarians.

Technical Abstract: Antibodies to Neospora caninum were determined in several species of wild animals in the USA by the Neospora aggltination test ( NAT). Antibodies (NAT 1: 40 or higher) were found in 5 of 249 bison (Bison bison), 5 of 160 caribou (Rangifer tarandus), 4 of 162 moose (Alces alces ), 4 of 122 wolves (Canis lupus), 1 of 224 musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) but not in 197 black bears (Ursus americanus). This is the first report of antibodies to N. caninum in bison and caribou. The total absence of N. caninum antibodies in black bears indicates that bears are not a host for N. caninum and there is no cross reactivity between the NAT and the modified agglutination test ( MAT) because over 80% of black bears in eastern United States have MAT antibodies at a 1:25.