Publications

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neospora caninum: the first demonstration of the enteroepithelial stages in the intestines of a naturally infected dog.a 1.5-month-old kangal breed puppy from a dairy cattle farm died after showing severe diarrhoea and incoordination. necropsy examination revealed multifocal pulmonary consolidation and necrosis and fibrinohaemorrhagic enteritis. microscopically, there was necrotic and purulent bronchopneumonia, myocarditis and non-purulent encephalitis. in the jejunum and ileum there was villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia with oocyst-like and schizont-like structures in the epithelia. immunohistochemically, n ...201525981437
a review of neosporosis and pathologic findings of neospora caninum infection in wildlife.neospora caninum is an apicomplexan parasite that is the etiologic agent of neosporosis, a devastating infectious disease regarded as a major cause of reproductive loss in cattle and neuromuscular disease in dogs worldwide. this protozoan pathogen is maintained in the environment by a heteroxenous life cycle that involves a definitive canid host and a wide range of intermediate hosts. in recent years, a number of wildlife species have been investigated for their possible involvement in the n. ca ...201525973393
molecular detection of neospora caninum in house sparrows (passer domesticus) in iran.neospora caninum is an intracellular protozoan parasite with a wide range of intermediate bird hosts. there is little information describing the prevalence and genetic characterization of n. caninum in bird hosts worldwide and in iran. in this study, a total of 217 brain samples of house sparrow (passer domesticus) were examined for n. caninum presence by nested polymerase chain reaction targeting the nc-5 gene. n. caninum dna was detected in 3.68% (8/217) of sparrows. sequencing of the nc5 geno ...201525971651
identification and characterization of a microneme protein (ncmic6) in neospora caninum.neospora caninum, an apicomplexa parasite, is the causative agent of neosporosis. as described for other members of apicomplexa, microneme proteins (mics) play a key role in attachment and invasion of host cells by n. caninum. herein we identified n. caninum microneme protein 6 (ncmic6) that is orthologous to toxoplasma gondii microneme protein 6 (tgmic6). the open reading frame of the ncmic6 gene is 984 bp and encodes a 327 amino acid peptide. sequence analysis showed that ncmic6 included a sig ...201525956399
buparvaquone is active against neospora caninum in vitro and in experimentally infected mice.the naphthoquinone buparvaquone is currently the only drug used against theileriosis. here, the effects of buparvaquone were investigated in vitro and in an experimental mouse model for neospora caninum infection. in 4-day proliferation assays, buparvaquone efficiently inhibited n. caninum tachyzoite replication (ic50 = 4.9 nm; ic100 = 100 nm). however, in the long term tachyzoites adapted and resumed proliferation in the presence of 100 nm buparvaquone after 20 days of cultivation. parasiticida ...201525941626
evaluation of recombinant neospora caninum antigens purified from silkworm larvae for the protection of n. caninum infection in mice.three antigens (ncsag1, ncsrs2 and ncmic3) from neospora caninum were expressed using the bmnpv bacmid system in silkworm larvae and purified from the hemolymph. from 20 silkworm larvae, 1.5, 1.2 and 1.4 mg of purified recombinant ncsag1, ncsrs2 and ncmic3 were obtained, respectively. when each purified recombinant antigen was immunized with freund's incomplete adjuvant (fia) to mice, recombinant ncsag1 induced a th2 immune response in immunized mice and produced a sag1-specific antibody. in the ...201525935502
study on the use of toltrazuril to eliminate neospora caninum in congenitally infected lambs born from experimentally infected ewes.to determine if toltrazuril was effective in eliminating neospora caninum infection from congenitally infected lambs. twenty-eight ewes were allocated to 3 groups where animals in groups a and b were inoculated with 1 × 10(7)n. caninum tachyzoites on day 120 of gestation and group c was maintained as a negative control group. lambs born from ewes in group a were treated with toltrazuril (20mg/kg) on days 0, 7, 14 and 21 after birth. lambs in groups b and c were untreated. all lambs in groups a a ...201525935293
in vitro effects of new artemisinin derivatives in neospora caninum-infected human fibroblasts.from a panel of 34 artemisinin derivatives tested in vitro, artemisone, gc007 and gc012 were most efficacious at inhibiting neospora caninum replication (ic50 values of 3-54nm), did not notably impair the invasiveness of tachyzoites and were non-toxic for human foreskin fibroblasts (hffs). transmission electron microscopy of drug-treated n. caninum-infected hffs demonstrated severe alterations in the parasite cytoplasm, changes in the composition of the matrix of the parasitophorous vacuole (pv) ...201525934265
isolation and molecular characterization of a new neospora caninum isolate from cattle in argentina.neospora caninum is one of the most important causes of bovine abortion, but isolation of live parasites from infected tissue is difficult. the aims of the present study were to obtain new isolates of n. caninum from congenitally infected asymptomatic newborn cattle in argentina and to perform characterization by multilocus-microsatellite analysis. five clinically normal born calves, with demonstrable n. caninum antibodies in precolostrum serum by indirect fluorescent antibody test, were euthani ...201525913666
antibodies to neospora caninum in sheep from slaughterhouses in the state of são paulo, brazil.neosporosis is an emergent disease responsible for considerable economic impact due to reproductive losses. its zoonotic potential remains unknown. this study involved a survey of antibodies to neospora caninum in slaughtered sheep and their association with epidemiological variables. serum samples from 596 sheep from the states of são paulo and rio grande do sul, brazil, were collected in two slaughterhouses located in são paulo and evaluated by indirect fluorescence antibody test (ifat), using ...201525909261
correction: ectopic expression of a neospora caninum kazal type inhibitor triggers developmental defects in toxoplasma and plasmodium. 201525905860
the effect of a live neospora caninum tachyzoite vaccine in naturally infected pregnant dairy cows.neosporosis, caused by the intracellular protozoan neospora caninum, is a major cause of abortion and reproductive failure in cattle worldwide. the principal route of transmission of neosporosis is via in utero infection of the offspring. there is no effective prophylactic treatment or vaccine available against bovine neosporosis. a n. caninum ncis491 isolate was examined for its ability to immunize and reduce abortions in naturally infected dairy cows under field conditions. n. caninum-seroposi ...201525890821
influence of the gestational stage on the clinical course, lesional development and parasite distribution in experimental ovine neosporosis.neospora caninum is considered one of the main causes of abortion in cattle, yet recent studies have also emphasised its relevance as an abortifacient in small ruminants. in order to gain deeper insight into the pathogenesis of ovine neosporosis, pregnant ewes were intravenously inoculated with 10(6) tachyzoites of the nc-spain7 isolate at days 40, 90 or 120 of gestation. infection during the first term resulted in the death of all foetuses between days 19 and 21 post-infection, showing mainly n ...201525884945
comprehensive evaluation of toxoplasma gondii veg and neospora caninum liv genomes with tachyzoite stage transcriptome and proteome defines novel transcript features.toxoplasma gondii is an important protozoan parasite that infects all warm-blooded animals and causes opportunistic infections in immuno-compromised humans. its closest relative, neospora caninum, is an important veterinary pathogen that causes spontaneous abortion in livestock. comparative genomics of these two closely related coccidians has been of particular interest to identify genes that contribute to varied host cell specificity and disease. here, we describe a manual evaluation of these g ...201525875305
a large-scale proteogenomics study of apicomplexan pathogens-toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum.proteomics data can supplement genome annotation efforts, for example being used to confirm gene models or correct gene annotation errors. here, we present a large-scale proteogenomics study of two important apicomplexan pathogens: toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum. we queried proteomics data against a panel of official and alternate gene models generated directly from rnaseq data, using several newly generated and some previously published ms datasets for this meta-analysis. we identified ...201525867681
serological diagnosis of bovine neosporosis: a bayesian evaluation of two antibody elisa tests for in vivo diagnosis in purchased and abortion cattle.currently, there are no perfect reference tests for the in vivo detection of neospora caninum infection. two commercial n caninum elisa tests are currently used in belgium for bovine sera (test a and test b). the goal of this study is to evaluate these tests used at their current cut-offs, with a no gold standard approach, for the test purpose of (1) demonstration of freedom of infection at purchase and (2) diagnosis in aborting cattle. sera of two study populations, abortion population (n=196) ...201525861822
safety and immunogenicity of a soluble native neospora caninum tachyzoite-extract vaccine formulated with a soy lecithin/β-glucan adjuvant in pregnant cattle.the global economic impact of neospora caninum infection in cattle herds has promoted the development of vaccines that can be safely used during pregnancy. the aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a vaccine formulated with the soluble fraction of tachyzoite's lysate and a soy-based aqueous adjuvant (sncag/avec), which was protective in the mouse model and induced strong ifn-γ responses and high avidity antibodies in non-pregnant cattle. ten pregnant heifers were vac ...201525851060
markers related to the diagnosis and to the risk of abortion in bovine neosporosis.bovine neosporosis has emerged as a main cause of abortion in cattle worldwide. an important question to understand the disease is why not all infected cows abort. in the present review we summarize the knowledge on markers related to the diagnosis and more importantly to the risk of abortion in the infected cow. markers considered herein include those based on specific antibodies, antibody titers and antibody subtypes, cellular immunological markers, hormones and other proteins related to gesta ...201525841793
a study of neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii antibody seroprevalence in healthy cattle in the czech republic.the aim of study was to test the sera of healthy dairy cows by elisas, the methods also used in other groups of animals in the czech republic, and thus to obtain actual data about n. caninum and t. gondii seroprevalence in cattle.201525780824
neospora caninum recruits host cell structures to its parasitophorous vacuole and salvages lipids from organelles.toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum, which cause the diseases toxoplasmosis and neosporosis, respectively, are two closely related apicomplexan parasites. they have similar heteroxenous life cycles and conserved genomes and share many metabolic features. despite these similarities, t. gondii and n. caninum differ in their transmission strategies and zoonotic potential. comparative analyses of the two parasites are important to identify the unique biological features that underlie the basis of ...201525750213
improving the gene structure annotation of the apicomplexan parasite neospora caninum fulfils a vital requirement towards an in silico-derived vaccine.neospora caninum is an apicomplexan parasite which can cause abortion in cattle, instigating major economic burden. vaccination has been proposed as the most cost-effective control measure to alleviate this burden. consequently the overriding aspiration for n. caninum research is the identification and subsequent evaluation of vaccine candidates in animal models. to save time, cost and effort, it is now feasible to use an in silico approach for vaccine candidate prediction. precise protein seque ...201525747726
occurrence of neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii dna in brain tissue from hoary foxes (pseudalopex vetulus) in brazil.the hoary fox (pseudalopex vetulus) is a wild canid native to brazil and is commonly found in the semiarid northeastern area living in contact with cattle. the main purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii dna in hoary foxes, in the state of paraíba, brazil. brain tissue samples were collected from 49 hoary foxes. from the samples, dna extraction and the polymerase chain reaction (pcr) were performed using specific primers for n. caninum and ...201525746974
dynamic exophthalmos and lateral strabismus in a dog caused by masticatory muscle myositis.a 5.5-year-old neutered male mixed-breed dog was presented for evaluation of a 5-month history of deviation of the right globe upon opening the mouth and a 1-month history of conjunctivitis in the same eye. clinical findings, diagnostic imaging results, treatment and follow-up are described.201525728848
investigation of neospora caninum seroprevalence and potential impact on reproductive success in semi-free-ranging père david's deer (elaphurus davidianus).this study aimed to determine the prevalence and reproductive impact of neospora caninum in a herd of semi-free-ranging père david's deer (elaphurus davidianus) at a conservation facility, following a suspected abortion storm in 2008. serum samples (n=103) collected from 60 individuals between 2002 and 2011 were evaluated using competitive elisa for the detection of n. caninum-specific antibodies. of the 103 samples, 73 (70.9 per cent) were positive for n. caninum antibodies, with a mean±sd comp ...201526392906
detection of neospora caninum-dna in brain tissues from pigeons in changchun, jilin (china).neospora caninum is an intracellular protozoan infecting many domestic and wild animals. the domestic chicken (gallus domesticus) and the sparrow (passer domesticus) are known as natural intermediate hosts of n. caninum, whereas the role of other birds such as pigeons is still unclear. in the present study, pigeon brain tissues collected in jilin of china were screened by n. caninum specific-nested pcr to determine whether pigeons functioned as the natural intermediate hosts of n. caninum. the p ...201526385650
neospora caninum in crows from israel.a cross-sectional neospora caninum seroprevalence study was performed on free ranging crows (corvus cornix, corvus monedula and corvus splendens) from israel in order to assess their exposure to this pathogen and evaluate their role as potential hosts or as sentinels of infection. using the modified agglutination test (mat) with a cutoff titer of 1:100, 30 out of 183 crows (16.4%) were found to be n. caninum seropositive. positive results were validated and confirmed by the indirect fluorescent ...201526359640
systemic neosporosis in a dog treated for immune-mediated thrombocytopenia and hemolytic anemia.a 4-year-old male toy poodle was presented to the small animal veterinary hospital of the faculty of veterinary medicine of the autonomous university of mexico (fmvz, unam) because of depression, lethargy, and hemorrhages involving several areas of the skin and around the eyes. hematology data and a bone marrow analysis suggested hemolytic anemia and immune-mediated thrombocytopenia. the dog was treated with prednisone, and after one month the hematology variables improved. however, the dog's cl ...201526345698
pathology in practice. meningoencephalitis and cerebellitis due to neospora caninum. 201526331418
neospora caninum tachyzoite immunome study reveals differences among three biologically different isolates.pathogenesis of bovine neosporosis is determined by different host- and parasite-dependent factors, including isolate virulence. a previous study identified that several neospora caninum tachyzoite proteins were more abundant in virulent isolates, nc-liv and nc-spain7, compared with the low-virulent isolate nc-spain1h. herein, we explored differences in the immunomes of these three isolates. protein extracts from the nc-liv, nc-spain1h and nc-spain7 isolates were analysed in a 3×3 design by 2-de ...201526324244
three-dimensional coherent x-ray diffractive imaging of whole frozen-hydrated cells.a structural understanding of whole cells in three dimensions at high spatial resolution remains a significant challenge and, in the case of x-rays, has been limited by radiation damage. by alleviating this limitation, cryogenic coherent diffractive imaging (cryo-cdi) can in principle be used to bridge the important resolution gap between optical and electron microscopy in bio-imaging. here, the first experimental demonstration of cryo-cdi for quantitative three-dimensional imaging of whole froz ...201526306199
a review of neospora caninum in water buffalo (bubalus bubalis).a number of countries in the world have reported infections with neospora caninum in water buffalo (bubalus bubalis), from africa to asia, europe and south america and recently australia. in general, clinical manifestations (such as abortion) seem rare, which has raised the prospect that buffalo may be inherently resistant to clinical effects of n. caninum infection. worldwide, the seroprevalence of n. caninum infection (as a measure of exposure determined by the detection of antibody) in buffal ...201526298507
activity of several kinds of drugs against neospora caninum.neosporosis caused by neospora caninum is a serious disease in cattle and dogs worldwide. it is the major cause of abortion and neonatal mortality in cattle. in this study, we evaluated the anti-n. caninum activity of chinese medicine extracts (curcumin, artemether), herbicides (atrazine, glyphosate), anticoccidiosis drugs (toltrazuril and ponazuril), cyclophosphamide, diminazene aceturate and praziquantel in vitro using parasite growth, replication and host cell invasion assays in human foreski ...201526264260
a live vaccine against neospora caninum abortions in cattle. 201525659274
vertical transmission in experimentally infected sheep despite previous inoculation with neospora caninum ncnz1 isolate.recent reports indicate n. caninum has a possible role in causing abortions in sheep in new zealand. knowledge about the mode of transmission of neosporosis in sheep in new zealand is limited. this study aimed to determine the rate of vertical transmission that would occur in lambs born from experimentally inoculated ewes and to determine if previous inoculation would protect the lambs from n. caninum infection. a group of 50 ewes was divided into 2 groups with one group being inoculated with 5× ...201525638717
seroprevalence and risk factors of toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum infections in small ruminants in china.little information is available about the seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum infections in sheep and goats in china. in the present investigation, the seroprevalence of t. gondii and n. caninum infections in sheep and goats were investigated in qinghai province, china between january 2012 and june 2013. a total of 1250 serum samples (600 sheep and 650 goats) collected from 8 administrative regions of qinghai province, china were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assa ...201525591976
immune response in the adipose tissue of lean mice infected with the protozoan parasite neospora caninum.the adipose tissue can make important contributions to immune function. nevertheless, only a limited number of reports have investigated in lean hosts the immune response elicited in this tissue upon infection. previous studies suggested that the intracellular protozoan neospora caninum might affect adipose tissue physiology. therefore, we investigated in mice challenged with this protozoan if immune cell populations within adipose tissue of different anatomical locations could be differently af ...201525581844
a vaccine formulation combining rhoptry proteins ncrop40 and ncrop2 improves pup survival in a pregnant mouse model of neosporosis.currently there are no effective vaccines for the control of bovine neosporosis. during the last years several subunit vaccines based on immunodominant antigens and other proteins involved in adhesion, invasion and intracellular proliferation of neospora caninum have been evaluated as targets for vaccine development in experimental mouse infection models. among them, the rhoptry antigen ncrop2 and the immunodominant ncgra7 protein have been assessed with varying results. recent studies have show ...201525579396
[endemic and epidemic bovine neosporosis: description of two events in beef cattle].the aim of this study was to describe two events in which neospora caninum was involved in bovine abortions in beef cattle. in the first event, 11 abortions in 57 heifers were recorded in 45 days. one aborted heifer was 5 times more likely to be seropositive than a non-aborted heifer (or=4.9; ic 1.2-19.9) (p<0.05). in the second event, no association between serological results and abortions were observed (or=0,69; 0,06-7,31) (p>0.05). neither antibodies nor isolation of other pathogens were ach ...201525576415
cell mediated immune responses in the placenta following challenge of vaccinated pregnant heifers with neospora caninum.the aim of the present study was to investigate and correlate the cell-mediated immune response and pathological changes at the maternal-fetal interface of neospora-challenged pregnant cattle previously immunized with live and inactivated experimental vaccines. pregnant heifers naïve to neospora caninum were divided in 5 groups of 4 animals, each one immunized before mating: group a heifers were intravenously (iv) immunized with 6.25 × 10(7) live tachyzoites of the nc-6 strain; group b heifers w ...201526553499
serological survey for antibodies against bovine viral diarrhoea virus and neospora caninum in a population of south australian alpacas (vicugna pacos).bovine viral diarrhoea virus (bvdv) and neospora caninum may cause clinical disease in alpacas. both diseases are present in the australian cattle population. the objective of this study was to perform a serological prevalence survey for bvdv and n. caninum exposure in a regional alpaca population of south australia.201526456156
predominant role of interferon-γ in the host protective effect of cd8(+) t cells against neospora caninum infection.it is well established that cd8(+) t cells play an important role in protective immunity against protozoan infections. however, their role in the course of neospora caninum infection has not been fully elucidated. here we report that cd8-deficient mice infected with n. caninum presented higher parasitic loads in the brain and lungs and lower spleen and brain immunity-related gtpases than their wild-type counterparts. moreover, adoptive transfer of splenic cd8(+) t cells sorted from n. caninum-pr ...201526449650
brazilian donkeys (equus asinus) have a low exposure to neospora spp.donkeys (equus asinus) are closely related to horses and are known to be infected by several equine pathogens. neospora caninum and neospora hughesi are protozoan parasites that infect horses, but they were not confirmed in donkeys up to this date. the aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure of donkeys (equus asinus) to neospora spp. using tachyzoites of n. caninum as antigen and employing two common serologic methods, ifat and immunoblot. sera from 500 donkeys were obtained from 30 munic ...201526444065
role of the chemokine receptor ccr5-dependent host defense system in neospora caninum infections.neospora caninum, a toxoplasma gondii-like obligate intracellular parasite, causes abortion in cattle and neurological signs in canines. to understand neosporosis better, studies on host cell migration and host immune responses during the early phase of infection are important. although the c-c chemokine receptor 5 (ccr5) plays a crucial role in immune cell migration, the role played by it in protective immunity against n. caninum is poorly understood.201525558986
erratum to: neospora caninum causes severe economic losses in cattle in the humid pampa region of argentina. 201525547804
seroprevalence and risk factors associated with exposure of water buffalo (bubalus bubalis) to neospora caninum in northeast thailand.water buffalo are important draft animals for agriculture in resource-restricted areas worldwide. water buffalo were shown to be experimentally susceptible to infection with neospora caninum, potentially affected by neosporosis, and naturally exposed to the parasite in asia. although enzootic to thailand, the distribution of n. caninum among thai water buffalo is unclear. the objectives of this study were to determine the seroprevalence of n. caninum among water buffalo of northeast thailand and ...201525499824
effects of crossbreeding on endocrine patterns determined in pregnant beef/dairy cows naturally infected with neospora caninum.neospora caninum is an intracellular coccidian parasite causing abortion worldwide in dairy cattle. studies have shown that n caninum infection modifies endocrine patterns and that beef cows or cows with a crossbreed pregnancy, especially for a greater maternal-paternal genetic distance, show a reduced risk of abortion when naturally infected compared with pure-breed holstein friesian (hf) pregnancies. this study examined the effects of crossbreeding on plasma progesterone (p4), pregnancy-associ ...201525459029
a 78 kda host cell invasion protein of neospora caninum as a potential vaccine candidate.neosporosis is an intracellular protozoan disease caused by neospora caninum. until now, there is no effective vaccine to prevent neosporosis. the host cell binding protein has the potential as neosporosis vaccine. in the present study, a t7 phage display library was constructed and screened using vero cells to obtain host cell binding protein of n. caninum. two host cell binding proteins, a hypothetical protein of 78 kda (named as ncp78) homologous to the acylglycerol lipase of toxoplasma gondi ...201525448355
blocking elisa using recombinant ncsrs2 protein for diagnosing bovine neosporosis.neospora caninum is the etiologic agent of neosporosis, which leads to economic impacts on cattle industry. the reference method for serodiagnosis of neosporosis is the indirect fluorescent antibody test (ifat). however, ifat is laborious, expensive, and is not practicable in high throughput screening. in order to facilitate the serological diagnosis of neosporosis, we developed a blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (b-elisa) based on ncsrs2 recombinant protein (rncsrs2) and polyclonal an ...201525432863
abortion and foetal lesions induced by neospora caninum in experimentally infected water buffalos (bubalus bubalis).the water buffalo (bubalus bubalis) is an important species in several countries for its milk and meat production, as well as for transport and other agricultural activities. it is, in general, considered more resistant than cattle to different parasitic diseases, also less demanding for forage quality. it has been postulated that buffalo may be resistant to abortion caused by neosporosis, because of high serological prevalences found in buffalo herds from different localities, with no descripti ...201525324135
bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus displaying neospora caninum antigens as a vaccine candidate against n. caninum infection in mice.baculovirus display systems have been utilized for cell-specific gene transfer, regenerative medicine, and as vaccine vectors. in particular, baculovirus particles displaying surface antigens have been used as vaccines against some parasites and viruses. in this study, bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (bmnpv) particles displaying neospora caninum antigens (ncsag1, ncsrs2, and ncmic3) purified from the hemolymph or fat body of silkworm larvae were prepared to vaccinate mice against n. caninum. ea ...201525307182
role of ifn-γ and lps on neuron/glial co-cultures infected by neospora caninum.neospora caninum causes cattle abortion and neurological symptoms in dogs. although infection is usually asymptomatic, classical neurological symptoms of neosporosis may be associated with encephalitis. this parasite can grow in brain endothelial cells without markedly damages, but it can modulate the cellular environment to promote its survival in the brain. in previous studies, we described that ifn-γ decreased the parasite proliferation and down regulated nitric oxide (no) production in astro ...201425386119
low prevalence of neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dogs in jilin, henan and anhui provinces of the people's republic of china.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 ...201425495616
histological and immunohistochemical characterization of the inflammatory and glial cells in the central nervous system of goat fetuses and adult male goats naturally infected with neospora caninum.neospora caninum is an apicomplexan protozoan that is considered one of the main agents responsible for abortion in ruminants. the lesions found in the central nervous system (cns) of aborted fetuses show multifocal necrosis, gliosis, and perivascular cuffs of mononuclear cells, but the inflammatory and glial cells have not been immunophenotypically characterized. the lesions in the cns of infected adult animals have rarely been described. therefore, in this study, we characterized the lesions, ...201425495444
susceptibility to experimental infection of the invertebrate locusts (schistocerca gregaria) with the apicomplexan parasite neospora caninum.neuropathogenesis is a feature of neospora caninum infection. in order to explore this in the absence of acquired host immunity to the parasite, we have tested infection in locusts (schistocerca gregaria). we show for the first time that locusts are permissive to intra-hemocoel infection with n. caninum tachyzoites. this was characterized by alteration in body weight, fecal output, hemoparasitemia, and sickness-related behavior. infected locusts exhibited progressive signs of sickness leading to ...201425493211
gallus gallus domesticus are resistant to infection with neospora caninum tachyzoites of the nc-1 strain.the aim of this study was to experimentally evaluate infection in gallus gallus domesticus with neospora caninum tachyzoites of the nc-1 strain. experimental infection was conducted in 90-day-old chickens, embryonated eggs and bioassays in dogs. in the first experiment, poults were randomly divided into four groups. groups i and ii were provided feed with coccidiostat, whereas groups iii and iv received feed without coccidiostat. when the poults from groups i and iii reached 90 days of age, they ...201425468016
occurrence of mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis and neospora caninum in alberta cow-calf operations.mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (map) and neospora caninum (nc) are two pathogens causing important production limiting diseases in the cattle industry. significant impacts of map and nc have been reported on dairy cattle herds, but little is known about the importance, risk factors and transmission patterns in western canadian cow-calf herds. in this cross-sectional study, the prevalence of map and nc infection in southwest alberta cow-calf herds was estimated, risk factors for nc w ...201425277685
flavonoids modulate the proliferation of neospora caninum in glial cell primary cultures.neospora caninum (apicomplexa; sarcocystidae) is a protozoan that causes abortion in cattle, horses, sheep, and dogs as well as neurological and dermatological diseases in dogs. in the central nervous system of dogs infected with n. caninum, cysts were detected that exhibited gliosis and meningitis. flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that exhibit antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal, and antiviral properties. in this study, we investigated the effects of flavonoids in a well-established i ...201425548412
anti-neospora caninum antibody detection and vertical transmission rate in pregnant zebu beef cows (bos indicus): neospora caninum in pregnant beef cows (bos indicus).the aim of the present study was to evaluate anti-neospora caninum antibodies and the vertical transmission rate in naturally infected pregnant zebu beef cows (bos indicus) reared on pasture. the present study began with 200 cows from four farms (50 cows from each farm), and these animals were submitted to timed artificial insemination (tai). after ultrasonography, 76 pregnant cows were selected, 22, 15, 22, and 17, respectively, from farms 1, 2, 3, and 4. blood samples were taken from cows thri ...201425193073
toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum infections in goat abortions from argentina.the aims of this study were to identify the occurrence of toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum abortions in goats from argentina by serological, macroscopical and microscopical examination and bioassay, and to characterize the obtained isolates by molecular techniques. for this purpose, 25 caprine fetal fluids, 18 caprine fetal brains and 10 caprine placentas from 8 dairy/meat goat farms from argentina were analyzed. gestational age of the aborted fetuses was determined in 18 cases. protozoal ...201425128663
the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase vector as a tool for stable tagging of neospora caninum.neospora caninum is an obligate intracellular apicomplexa, a phylum where one of the current methods for functional studies relies on molecular genetic tools. for toxoplasma gondii, the first method described, in 1993, was based on resistance against chloramphenicol. as in t. gondii, we developed a vector constituted of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene (cat) flanked by the n. caninum dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (dhfr-ts) 5' coding sequence flanking region. five weeks a ...201425127750
fluorescent ester dye-based assays for the in vitro measurement of neospora caninum proliferation.techniques for the measurement of parasite loads in different experimental models have evolved throughout the years. the quantification of stained slides using regular cytological stains is currently the most common technique. however, this modality of evaluation is labor-intensive, and the interpretation of the results is subjective because the successes of the assays mainly rely on the abilities of the professionals involved. moreover, the novel genetic manipulation techniques that are commonl ...201425095733
cytokine expression in the placenta of pregnant cattle after inoculation with neospora caninum.neospora caninum is recognized as a major cause of reproductive losses worldwide but its pathogenesis is not completely understood. immune mediated placental pathology has been reported as being responsible for compromising pregnancy probably due to the adverse effects of exacerbated th1 type response at the maternal-foetal interface. different clinical outcomes are known to occur following experimental infections of cattle at different stages of gestation, with foetal death being the most commo ...201425091332
occurrences of anti-toxoplasma gondii and anti-neospora caninum antibodies in barbary sheep at curitiba zoo, southern brazil.barbary sheep (ammotragus lervia) have the potential to act as hosts of important infectious diseases, particularly zoonoses. blood samples from 17 barbary sheep at the curitiba zoo were collected to evaluate occurrences of anti-toxoplasma gondii and anti-neospora caninum antibodies, tested using the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (ifat). anti-t. gondii and anti-n. caninum antibodies were detected in 4/17 (23.5%) and 4/17 (23.5%) samples, respectively. the present study has shown that ...201425054509
comparison of host cell invasion and proliferation among neospora caninum isolates obtained from oocysts and from clinical cases of naturally infected dogs.in a previous study we have shown that the in vitro invasion rate (ir) and tachyzoite yield (ty) are associated with the virulence phenotypes of neospora caninum isolates of bovine origin. in addition, we recently observed marked differences in virulence when canine isolates were compared in a pregnant balb/c mouse model. in this study, we investigated whether invasion and proliferation capacities could be used as virulence-related n. caninum phenotypic traits. of the isolates compared in mice, ...201425045851
discovering a vaccine against neosporosis using computers: is it feasible?a vaccine is urgently needed to prevent cattle neosporosis. this infectious disease is caused by the parasite neospora caninum, a complex biological system with multifaceted life cycles. an in silico vaccine discovery approach attempts to transform digital abstractions of this system into adequate knowledge to predict candidates. researchers need current information to implement such an approach, such as understanding evasion mechanisms of the immune system, type of immune response to elicit, av ...201425028089
toxoplasmosis-associated abortion in an alpaca (vicugna pacos) fetus.a near-full-term alpaca (vicugna pacos) was stillborn 2 days before the expected date of delivery; necropsy examination was conducted within 6 hr of delivery. gross lesions were enlarged liver and hydrocephalus. on histologic examination, mild inflammatory lesions were identified in the placenta, liver, and lungs, although no etiology was recognized. within the brain, there was a mild nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis, hydrocephalus, and hydromyelia. both kidneys had inflammatory foci in cortex ...201425000722
diagnosis and treatment of neospora caninum--associated dermatitis in a red fox (vulpes vulpes) with concurrent toxoplasma gondii infection.a 3-mo-old red fox (vulpes vulpes) developed generalized crusty plaques on its body during rehabilitation after an automobile accident requiring amputation of one leg. histologic examination of skin lesion biopsy revealed granulomatous dermatitits with many intralesional protozoal tachyzoites. the protozoa stained positively with antibodies to neospora caninum but not to toxoplasma gondii. treatment with clindamycin hydrochloride (10 mg/kg, twice daily, s.c.) for 1 mo completely resolved lesions ...201425000720
neosporosis in naturally infected pregnant dairy cattle.neosporosis caused by caused by the apicomplexan parasite neospora caninum is one of the major causes of infectious abortion in bovines worldwide. a long-term prospective study was performed in a dairy herd endemic for n. caninum in order to analyze the impact of neosporosis on the proportion of aborting cows. a total of 1078 pregnant cows were tested for presence of antibodies and the proportion of abortions was calculated. the overall seroprevalence of n. caninum found in the herd was 35.5%. t ...201424986462
metabolic footprinting of extracellular metabolites of brain endothelium infected with neospora caninum in vitro.the survival of the intracellular protozoan parasite neospora caninum depends on its ability to adapt to changing metabolic conditions of the host cell. thus, defining cellular and metabolic changes in affected target tissues may aid in delineating pathogenetic mechanism. we undertook this study to assess the metabolic response of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hbmecs) to n. caninum infection in vitro.201424973017
prevalence and correlates of antibodies to neospora caninum in dogs in portugal.neosporosis, caused by neospora caninum, is an important cause of abortion in cattle and of neurological disease in dogs. this study investigated the prevalence and correlates of antibodies to n. caninum in 441 dogs from the five regions of mainland portugal. a commercial competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (celisa) was used and specific antibodies were detected in 35 (7.9%) dogs. seroprevalence levels were significantly different among some of the studied regions, as well as between s ...201424972327
two distinct populations of bovine il-17⁺ t-cells can be induced and wc1⁺il-17⁺γδ t-cells are effective killers of protozoan parasites.il-17 has emerged as a key player in the immune system, exhibiting roles in protection from infectious diseases and promoting inflammation in autoimmunity. initially thought to be cd4 t-cell-derived, the sources of il-17 are now known to be varied and belong to both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. mechanisms for inducing il-17 production in lymphoid cells are thought to rely on appropriate antigenic stimulation in the context of tgf-β1, il-6 and/or il-1β. using culture protoco ...201424961164
neospora caninum prevalence in dogs raised under different living conditions.neospora caninum is an important cause of abortion in dairy cattle worldwide. dogs are important in the epidemiology of n. caninum because they act as definitive hosts shedding oocysts in the environment. vertical transmission of the parasite is well recognized as an important aspect of the epidemiology of the parasite but the importance of horizontal transmission has been less studied. a n. caninum competitive elisa was used to examine serum samples from 600 dogs that were raised under 4 differ ...201424957000
first isolation of neospora caninum from blood of a naturally infected adult dairy cow in beijing, china.neospora caninum is an important cause of abortion in cattle worldwide, but the isolation of a viable parasite from an abortus is difficult, and viable n. caninum has not been isolated from any host in china. in the present study, peripheral blood samples were collected from a jugular vein of an adult dairy cow that had aborted; the cow was seropositive to n. caninum antibodies by elisa. white blood cells were separated and seeded onto vero cell monolayer cultures for parasite isolation. tachyzo ...201424945568
rop18 is a key factor responsible for virulence difference between toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum.toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) and neospora caninum (n. caninum) are both obligate intracellular protozoan parasites and share many common morphological and biological features. despite these similarities the two parasites differ dramatically in virulence in mice, but the factors involved in virulence differences between the two parasites remain unknown. a secreted serine-threonine kinase called rhoptry protein 18 (rop18) was identified to play a crucial role on virulence differences among differ ...201424927100
experimental ruminant models for bovine neosporosis: what is known and what is needed.at present, bovine neosporosis is an important worldwide concern because of its wide geographic distribution and economic impact. abortion is the main clinical sign of bovine neosporosis in both dairy and beef cattle. ruminant challenge models are critical to evaluate potential vaccine candidates to help tackle bovine neosporosis and to study pathogenesis and host responses to infection. several research groups have developed ruminant models of neospora caninum infection independently of others, ...201424926962
genetic characterisation of neospora caninum strains from clinical samples of zebuine foetuses obtained in abattoirs in goiás, brazil.the neospora caninum microsatellite markers were applied to clinical samples. genotyping technology involving fluorescently labelled dna fragment analysis was used in combination with dna sequencing for markers with complex repetitive sequences. nineteen dna samples from 15 brains and four hearts of naturally infected non-aborted zebuine foetuses from abattoirs in goiás, brazil. n. caninum had been detected in these foetuses by nested-pcr of the internal transcribed spacer-1 rrna region, and the ...201424893690
maternal and fetal immune response patterns in heifers experimentally infected with neospora caninum in the second trimester of pregnancy--a descriptive study.fetal and maternal immune responses 3, 6 and 9 weeks post infection (wpi) were investigated in cows experimentally infected with neospora caninum on day 110 of gestation. descriptive analysis showed that the fetuses had lower percentages of spleen t cell subpopulations (cd3+, cd4+ and cd8+) at 6 wpi compared to 3 wpi and/or 9 wpi, with the lowest percentages observed in a dead fetus found upon euthanasia at that time. increased expression of most cytokines over levels recorded at 3 and 9 wpi wer ...201424880649
macrophage depletion prior to neospora caninum infection results in severe neosporosis in mice.we observed that murine macrophages showed greater activation and increased interleukin 6 (il-6), il-12p40, and interferon gamma (ifn-γ) production during neospora caninum infection. many macrophages migrated to the site of infection. furthermore, macrophage-depleted mice exhibited increased sensitivity to n. caninum infection. this study indicates that macrophages are required for achieving protective immunity against n. caninum.201424872515
statistical evaluation of a commercial neospora caninum competitive elisa in the absence of a gold standard: application to wild elk (cervus elaphus) in alberta.neospora caninum is an important abortive agent of domestic ruminants, but few diagnostic tools are available to reliably assess the exposure of wild cervid species such as elk (cervus elaphus) to this pathogen, which limits our ability to understand their role in the life cycle of this parasite. in the absence of a gold standard test or panels of samples from individuals of known infection status, classical laboratory-based validation methods are not applicable. however, there are a number of s ...201424861013
epidemiology of leishmania infantum, toxoplasma gondii, and neospora caninum in rattus rattus in absence of domestic reservoir and definitive hosts.isolated environments are privileged settings to study transmission of infection. montecristo is a small island where no wild or domestic carnivores are present. invasive black rats rattus rattus (n=78) were captured and tested by pcr for leishmania infantum, toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum. we wanted to test, for these parasites, the existence of a sylvatic cycle independent of reservoir or definitive hosts. none of the rats tested positive by pcr for either t. gondii or n. caninum. we r ...201424295953
prevalence of immunoglobulin g (igg) antibody to neospora caninum in dairy cattle of hamedan province, west of iran.bovine neosporosis caused by the apicomplexan protozoan parasite n. caninum, was initially recognized in 1989 and is now reported as a leading infectious cause of reproductive failure in dairy cattle in world wide. the aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of n. caninum infection in industrial dairy cattle of hamedan province (west of iran) by elisa method. blood samples were collected from 492 cattle in 41 farms. antibodies to n. caninum were found in 63(12.80%) sera. a signific ...201425568710
seroprevalence of neospora caninum in slaughtered native cattle in kurdistan province, iran.neospora caninum is a worldwide distributed pathogen which causes abortion in cattle leading to economic loss in the cattle industry. the aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of n. caninum antibodies in the native cattle slaughtered in various areas of kurdistan province (western iran) from september 2010 to september 2011. serum samples from 368 cattle slaughtered in seven slaughterhouses in this region were taken for detection of anti-n. caninum antibodies using commercial n. ...201425568696
isolation, identification, and pathogenicity of neospora caninum china yanbian strain.the aim of the study was to provide a point of reference to study the neospora caninum infections in china.201425678924
differential locus expansion distinguishes toxoplasmatinae species and closely related strains of toxoplasma gondii.toxoplasma gondii is a human obligate intracellular parasite that has infected over 20% of the world population and has a vast intermediate host range compared to those of its nearest relatives neospora caninum and hammondia hammondi. while these 3 species have highly syntenic genomes (80 to 99%), in this study we examined and compared species-specific structural variations, specifically at loci that have undergone local (i.e., tandem) duplication and expansion. to do so, we used genomic sequenc ...201424496792
management practices as risk factors for the presence of bulk milk antibodies to salmonella, neospora caninum and leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo in irish dairy herds.a survey of management practices in 309 irish dairy herds was used to identify risk factors for the presence of antibodies to salmonella, neospora caninum and leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo in extensively managed unvaccinated dairy herds. a previous study documented a herd-level seroprevalence in bulk milk of 49%, 19% and 86% for salmonella, neospora caninum and leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo, respectively in the unvaccinated proportion of these 309 herds in 2009. association analy ...201424661904
detection of neospora caninum-dna in feces collected from dogs in shenyang (china) and its1 phylogenetic analysis.neospora caninum is an intracellular protozoan that infects many domestic and wild animals. dog is known as a definitive host of n. caninum and involved in transmitting infections to intermediate hosts by shedding oocysts. to investigate the epidemiology of dog neosporosis in china, 212 dog feces specimens in shenyang were screened by nested-pcr using nc5 primers and confirmed by n. caninum its1 pcr. the positive rate of n. caninum dna was 34.90% (74/212). there were no significant correlations ...201425047704
a neospora caninum vaccine using recombinant proteins fails to prevent foetal infection in pregnant cattle after experimental intravenous challenge.the aim of the present study was to evaluate the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of rncsag1, rnchsp20 and rncgra7 recombinant proteins formulated with immune stimulating complexes (iscoms) in pregnant heifers against vertical transmission of neospora caninum. twelve pregnant heifers were divided into 3 groups of 4 heifers each, receiving different formulations before mating. immunogens were administered twice subcutaneously: group a animals were inoculated with three recombinant proteins ...201425467890
cloning and expression of neospora caninum dense-granule 7 in e. coli.neospora caninum is an obligate intracellular protozoan which induces abortion, still birth and neuromuscular disorders in cattle and is an important problem in dairy and beef industry worldwide. the dense granule protein 7 (gra7) of n. caninum is an immune-dominant protein shared by both tachyzoite and bradyzoites. this study was conducted to produce recombinant gra7 of n. caninum using a plasmid with high level of expression of this protein in e. coli. for this purpose, a segment of n. caninum ...201424808652
epidemiology of reproductive pathogens in semi-intensive lamb-producing flocks in north-west spain: a comparative serological study.the aim of this study was to better understand the epidemiology of five major reproductive pathogens in semi-intensive lamb-producing flocks in north-west spain. two thousand four hundred serum samples were collected from 44 flocks, and several factors were studied to assess their influence on seropositivity. farms that tested seropositive for more than one pathogen were common (84.1%), but seroprevalence was high only for toxoplasma gondii (38.1%), and low for the other four pathogens, namely, ...201424685472
evaluation of spore wall protein 1 as an alternative antigen for the diagnosis of encephalitozoon cuniculi infection of farmed foxes using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.the sequence encoding swp1 was cloned from the genome of encephalitozoon cuniculi. recombinant swp1 (rswp1) was expressed in escherichia coli and used to detect e. cuniculi infections in farmed foxes and dogs with an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) in the present study. the sera of foxes infected with e. cuniculi could be distinguished from the sera of foxes infected with toxoplasma gondii, neospora caninum, and cryptosporidium parvum using the elisa. in total, 198 fox samples ...201424830821
using open-access taxonomic and spatial information to create a comprehensive database for the study of mammalian and avian livestock and pet infections.what are all the species of pathogen that affect our livestock? as 6 out of every 10 human pathogens came from animals, with a good number from livestock and pets, it seems likely that the majority that emerge in the future, and which could threaten or devastate human health, will come from animals. only 10 years ago, the first comprehensive pathogen list was compiled for humans; we still have no equivalent for animals. here we describe the creation of a novel pathogen database, and present outp ...201423906393
pathogens of zoonotic and biological importance in roe deer (capreolus capreolus): seroprevalence in an agro-system population in france.antibody prevalence for several infectious and parasitic diseases in a population of roe deer (capreolus capreolus) inhabiting a mixed agricultural landscape (south of france) has been analyzed. serological analyses with elisa in 245 animals captured from 2008 to 2012 has been performed. we found a high prevalence of toxoplasma gondii (46.4%), chlamydophila abortus (17.27%) and coxiella burnetii (11.26%) compared to other studies in europe. seroprevalence varied strongly among years for t. gondi ...201424576494
neospora caninum infection as a cause of reproductive failure in a sheep flock.neospora caninum has been detected only sporadically in cases of ovine abortion, and it has therefore traditionally been considered as an unimportant parasite in small ruminants. this study was carried out with the aim of identifying the pathogen causing serious reproductive problems on a commercial sheep farm. sera from all rams and ewes tested negative for antibodies against border disease virus, schmallenberg virus and coxiella burnetii, and infections by these agents were therefore ruled out ...201425158756
serosurvey on schmallenberg virus and selected ovine reproductive pathogens in culled ewes from southern spain.after the first case of schmallenberg virus (sbv) was reported in southern spain (march 2012), a retrospective serological study was carried out in extensive sheep flocks from nearby areas to assess the history of exposure to sbv and other selected ovine reproductive pathogens (chlamydophila abortus, coxiella burnetii, border disease virus 'bdv', toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum). secondly, the presence of antibodies was investigated in meat juice samples against selected pathogens to vali ...201424219149
abortion in cattle due to infection with staphylococcus lugdunensis.an aborted fetus of 7 months gestation, the associated placenta, and a single blood sample from the dam were submitted for diagnostic investigation to the diagnostic laboratory of the lombardy and emilia-romagna experimental zooprophylactic institute in parma, italy. the serum was negative for neospora caninum, coxiella burnetii, chlamydophila abortus, bovine herpesvirus 1 (bhv-1), bovine viral diarrhea virus (bvdv), brucella abortus, and brucella melitensis. fetal tissues and placental cotyledo ...201425292193
blood collected on filter paper for wildlife serology: evaluating storage and temperature challenges of field collections.filter-paper (fp) blood sampling can facilitate wildlife research and expand disease surveillance. previous work indicated that nobuto fp samples from caribou and reindeer (rangifer tarandus subspecies) had comparable sensitivity and specificity to serum samples (≥ 80% for both) in competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (celisas) for brucella spp., neospora caninum, and west nile virus. the same sensitivity and specificity criteria were met in indirect elisas for brucella spp., bovine he ...201424499329
health impact evaluation of alternative management systems in vicuña (vicugna vicugna mensalis) populations in peru.to determine the impact of farming over vicuña population in peru, serum samples were collected from 207 vicuñas (126 captive vicuñas and 81 free-ranging vicuñas) and 614 domestic south american camelids (571 alpacas and 43 llamas), in ten andean communities at the salinas y aguada blanca reserve, province of arequipa, southern peru. samples were tested for the presence of leptospirosis, foot and mouth disease (fmd), bovine viral diarrhea (bvd), bovine herpesvirus type 1 (bhv-1), brucellosis, bl ...201424492977
blood collected on filter paper for wildlife serology: detecting antibodies to neospora caninum, west nile virus, and five bovine viruses in reindeer.we compared nobuto filter paper (fp) whole-blood samples to serum for detecting antibodies to seven pathogens in reindeer (rangifer tarandus tarandus). serum and fp samples were collected from captive reindeer in 2008-2009. sample pairs (serum and fp eluates) were assayed in duplicate at diagnostic laboratories with the use of competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (celisas) for neospora caninum and west nile virus (wnv); indirect elisa (ielisas) for bovine herpesvirus type 1 (bhv-1), pa ...201424484497
serological cross-reactivity of trypanosoma cruzi, ehrlichia canis, toxoplasma gondii, neospora caninum and babesia canis to leishmania infantum chagasi tests in dogs.the aim of this study was to evaluate the serological cross-reactivity between leishmania sp. and other canine pathogens.201424603745
the parasitic fauna of the european bison (bison bonasus) (linnaeus, 1758) and their impact on the conservation. part 1. the summarising list of parasites noted.during the current century, 88 species of parasites have been recorded in bison bonasus. these are 22 species of protozoa (trypanosoma wrublewskii, t. theileri, giardia sp., sarcocystis cruzi, s. hirsuta, s. hominis, s. fusiformis, neospora caninum, toxoplasma gondii, cryptosporidium sp., eimeria cylindrica, e. subspherica, e. bovis, e. zuernii, e. canadensis, e. ellipsoidalis, e. alabamensis, e. bukidnonensis, e. auburnensis, e. pellita, e. brasiliensis, babesia divergens), 4 trematodes species ...201425119348
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