Publications

seroprevalence and spatial distribution of neospora caninum in a population of beef cattle.	a cross-sectional serological survey for neospora caninum was carried out in swedish beef cattle in order to estimate the seroprevalence and investigate any geographical patterns of the infection. blood samples were collected from 2754 animals in 2130 herds and analysed for presence of antibodies to n. caninum. the study included 18.5% of all swedish beef herds. spatial autocorrelation was assessed by calculating moran's i and cluster detection was performed using lisa- and spatial scan statisti ...	2009	19709771
dynamics of heat shock protein 70 concentrations in peripheral blood lymphocyte lysates during pregnancy in lactating holstein-friesian cows.	the aim of this study was to characterize the dynamics of the concentrations of heat shock protein 70 kda (hsp70) in peripheral blood lymphocytes of lactating holstein-friesian dairy cows (bos taurus) during pregnancy. the detection of pregnancy was carried out and blood samples collected on days 40, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 210 of gestation from 46 cows (11 primiparous and 35 pluriparous, 34 seropositive and 12 seronegative to neospora caninum). peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated by densi ...	2009	19729195
a serological survey of infectious disease in yellowstone national park's canid community.	gray wolves (canis lupus) were reintroduced into yellowstone national park (ynp) after a >70 year absence, and as part of recovery efforts, the population has been closely monitored. in 1999 and 2005, pup survival was significantly reduced, suggestive of disease outbreaks.	2009	19756151
failure of a vaccine using immunogenic recombinant proteins rncsag4 and rncgra7 against neosporosis in mice.	the development of an effective vaccine against neospora caninum infection in cattle is an important issue due to the significant economic impact of this parasitic disease worldwide. in this work, the immune response, safety and efficacy of different vaccine formulations using the n. caninum recombinant proteins rncsag4 (the first bradyzoite-specific protein assayed as a vaccine) and rncgra7 were evaluated in mouse models. the survival curves of pups from all vaccinated groups showed a slight de ...	2009	19782735
first epidemiological study on exposure to neospora caninum in different canine populations in the algiers district (algeria).	neospora caninum is an important cause of abortion in cattle worldwide. dogs act as final hosts shedding oocysts in the environment. they can also harbour the extraintestinal stage of the parasite and this may be associated with a fairly rare neuromuscular condition. the sera of 781 dogs from the algiers district were screened by ifat for the presence of anti-n. caninum antibodies. these dogs were distributed into four populations: local stray dogs, police dogs, dogs from breeding kennels and fa ...	2009	19723590
prevalence of toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum infections in sheep from federal district, central region of brazil.	serum samples from 1028 sheep were collected from 32 herds within federal district, in the central region of brazil. the samples were examined by indirect fluorescent antibody test (ifat) using sera diluted 1:64 and 1:50 as cut-off values for the detection of antibodies against toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum, respectively. the observed prevalence for t. gondii infection was 38.22% (26.81%<ci 0.95<49.62%), and the titers ranged from 64 to 65536. the observed prevalence for n. caninum infe ...	2009	18726165
canine and bovine neospora caninum control sera examined for cross-reactivity using neospora caninum and neospora hughesi indirect fluorescent antibody tests.	neospora caninum is a well known protozoan parasite of domestic and wild animals. neospora hughesi is a closely related protozoan with an unknown life cycle, host range, and infection prevalence. many serologic surveys of n. caninum have been performed without consideration of potential cross-reactions with n. hughesi, which could confound results. the aim of this study was to investigate whether postexposure sera from animals experimentally infected with n. caninum exhibit significant reactivit ...	2009	18613752
short report: prevalence of neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii antibodies in northern egypt.	in view of the worldwide importance of toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum and the limited data on the seroprevalence of these parasites in egypt, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of anti-t. gondii and anti-n. caninum antibodies in rabbits, cattle, and humans. we used elisa methods based on surface antigen 2 of t. gondii (tgsag2t) and surface antigen 1 of n. caninum (ncsag1t). high seroprevalence of t. gondii (51.49%) was detected in pregnant women, and antibodies to n. caninum wer ...	2009	19190225
molecular comparison of neospora caninum oocyst isolates from naturally infected dogs with cell culture-derived tachyzoites of the same isolates using nested polymerase chain reaction to amplify microsatellite markers.	neospora caninum infection is an important cause of bovine abortion. the infection can be transmitted transplacentally or by ingestion of oocysts shed by definitive hosts. there are few reports of dogs naturally shedding n. caninum oocysts and only some oocyst isolates were transferred into cell culture. the aim of the present study was to analyse n. caninum oocysts from the faeces of naturally infected dogs using a microsatellite-based typing technique and to compare them with cell culture-deri ...	2009	19084341
canine inflammatory myopathy associated with leishmania infantum infection.	inflammatory myopathy associated with several infectious diseases occurs in dogs including those caused by toxoplasma gondii, neospora caninum, ehrlichia canis and hepatozoon canis. however, muscle disease due to leishmania infection has been poorly documented. the aim of this study was to examine the distribution and types of cellular infiltrates and expression of mhc class i and ii in muscle biopsies obtained from 15 male beagle dogs from a breeder group with an established diagnosis of leishm ...	2009	19084398
prevalence of anti-toxoplasma gondii and anti-neospora caninum antibodies in sheep from mossoró, rio grande do norte, brazil.	toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite with a variety of hosts, responsible for reproductive problems and economic losses in sheep flocks. neospora caninum was recently identified and its clinical presentation in sheep is similar to that of toxoplasmosis, which can cause repeated abortions, though less frequently in this species. in order to confirm the prevalence of these agents in the city of mossoró, rio grande do norte, brazil, 409 serum samples from adult sheep (364 females ...	2009	19091473
detection of neospora caninum from farm-bred young blue foxes (alopex lagopus) in china.	neospora caninum has been detected in several wild mammalian species, i.e., deer, coyotes, dingoes, and foxes. farm-bred foxes were rarely reported to be affected by the parasite. in this study, we detected for the first time the infection of n.caninum in farm-bred young blue foxes (alopex lagopus) in china. neospora-like tissue cysts were observed in brains and kidneys of the foxes by histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations. one hundred and three sera from the clinically normal v ...	2009	19194087
evaluation of a srs2 sandwich commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of anti-neospora caninum antibodies in bovine and canine sera.	neospora caninum is a parasite responsible for abortion in cows and neuromuscular disease in dogs. serology is the most widely used technique to evaluate the prevalence of n. caninum in different host populations. a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) based on the use of an anti-srs2 monoclonal antibody was evaluated against the indirect fluorescent antibody test for 100 canine sera and against a well-characterized elisa for 102 bovine sera. in cattle sera, the relative sensitivit ...	2009	19139509
keratoconjunctivitis associated with toxoplasma gondii in a dog.	a 12-year-old pug presented with a 3-mm corneal mass od. the dog was currently being treated for keratoconjunctivitis sicca (kcs) and pigmentary keratitis ou. a superficial keratectomy followed by cryotherapy was performed od. a histopathologic diagnosis of epithelial dysplasia and suppurative keratitis was made and the lesion resolved. two months later, a yellow/tan conjunctival mass, diffuse chemosis and conjunctival thickening was discovered od. necrotizing conjunctivitis with protozoal paras ...	2009	19152600
characterization of tissue distribution and histopathological lesions in neospora caninum experimentally infected gerbils.	gerbils (meriones unguiculatus) were inoculated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with neospora caninum tachyzoites to examine parasite distribution and histological lesions at different time points over a 9-day period of infection. gerbils were sacrificed 12 h post-infection (pi), then daily intervals up to day 9 pi. the parasite was detected by pcr assay targeting the nc5 sequence of n. caninum. the parasite was not found in any organs until day 5 pi, however, from day 8 pi onwards, they were detected ...	2009	19172297
specific anti-neospora caninum igg1 and igg2 antibody responses during gestation in naturally infected cattle and their relationship with gamma interferon production.	gamma interferon (ifn-gamma) production has been attributed a protective role against abortion in neospora-infected dairy cows. this study investigate possible relationships between plasma levels of the n. caninum-specific immunoglobulin (ig) isotypes igg1 and igg2 and ifn-gamma production throughout gestation in dairy cows naturally infected with the parasite. data were obtained from 31 pregnant neospora-seropositive animals. blood samples were collected on gestation days 40, 90, 120, 150, 180 ...	2009	19201036
toltrazuril treatment of congenitally acquired neospora caninum infection in newborn mice.	c57bl/6 mice were infected with neospora caninum tachyzoites during pregnancy, yielding a transplacental infection of developing fetuses. subsequently, congenitally infected newborn mice were treated either once or three times with toltrazuril (or placebo) at a concentration of 31.25 mg compound per kg body weight. both toltrazuril and placebo treatment had no negative effect on newborns, as noninfected treated pups developed normally without differences in mortality and morbidity to matching no ...	2009	19205743
toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum antibodies in sheep in the czech republic.	in the czech republic, serum from 547 sheep coming from nine farms was examined for antibodies against parasites toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum by screening elisa. antibodies against t. gondii were found in 325 sheep (59%) with prevalence ranging from 11% to 96% in different farms. antibodies against n. caninum were found in 63 sheep (12%) with prevalence ranging from 4% to 21% in different farms. mixed infections were found in 53 sheep (10%). it was the first evidence of n. caninum anti ...	2009	19181450
frequency of horizontal and vertical transmission for sarcocystis cruzi and neospora caninum in dairy cattle.	sarcocystis cruzi and neospora caninum infections in cattle are common throughout the world, and cause important economical losses. n. caninum can be transmitted horizontally by ingestion of oocysts or vertically from the infected dam to the fetus via the placenta. vertical transmission for s. cruzi is infrequent and horizontal transmission is considered the most important route of infection. the objectives of this study were to evaluate the frequency of horizontal and vertical transmission for ...	2009	19070964
isolation and characterization of a bovine isolate of neospora caninum with low virulence.	neospora caninum tachyzoites were isolated from the brain of an asymptomatic naturally infected calf with precolostral-specific antibodies. the new isolate, named nc-spain 1h, was identified as a member of the n. caninum species based on its internal transcribed spacer 1 (its-1) sequence and was genetically characterized using microsatellite markers. multilocus analysis showed that nc-spain 1h was genetically different from other n. caninum isolates. we compared the in vitro tachyzoite yield and ...	2009	19027235
effects of a transferring antibody against neospora caninum infection in a murine model.	we investigated the roles of a transferring antibody against neospora caninum infection based on a murine model using recombinant vaccinia virus carrying ncsrs2 gene. higher levels of anti-ncsrs2 antibody were detected in surviving offspring from vaccinated dams than controls while the transferring anti-ncsag1 antibody was detected in the surviving offspring from unvaccinated dams. after mating, the female mice with transferring antibody against n. caninum were challenged with the parasites in m ...	2009	19056179
a unique dual activity amino acid hydroxylase in toxoplasma gondii.	the genome of the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii was found to contain two genes encoding tyrosine hydroxylase; that produces l-dopa. the encoded enzymes metabolize phenylalanine as well as tyrosine with substrate preference for tyrosine. thus the enzymes catabolize phenylalanine to tyrosine and tyrosine to l-dopa. the catalytic domain descriptive of this class of enzymes is conserved with the parasite enzyme and exhibits similar kinetic properties to metazoan tyrosine hydroxylases, but con ...	2009	19277211
seroprevalence of neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii antibodies in white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) from iowa and minnesota using four serologic tests.	the white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) is considered one of the most important wildlife reservoirs of neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii in the us. sera from white-tailed deer from minnesota and iowa were tested for antibodies to n. caninum by four serologic tests including the indirect fluorescent antibody (ifa) test (cut-off 1:25), neospora caninum agglutination test (cut-off 1:25), an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay, and western blot (wb). sera were also tested for antibodies ...	2009	19285809
looks can deceive: molecular identity of an intraerythrocytic apicomplexan parasite in australian gliders.	two yellow-bellied gliders (petaurus australis) had an intraerythrocytic parasite closely related to the cyst-forming coccidia (apicomplexa: sarcocystidae). the parasitaemia persisted for 3 months or more but was observed to clear within 3 years in captivity. the parasite appears not to significantly debilitate its infected host. traditionally, using morphological identification, the intraerythrocytic parasite would have been classified within the hepatozoon species typically found in red blood ...	2009	19028015
pigeons (columba livia) are a suitable experimental model for neospora caninum infection in birds.	neospora caninum infections in chickens have been recently described by epidemiological and experimental approaches, and these birds may be considered natural intermediate hosts of the parasite. it has been postulated that other bird species might perform this role in wildlife as well. to better understand the sylvatic life cycle of n. caninum, further studies are required. in that sense, this work aimed to observe infection kinetics in pigeons experimentally infected with n. caninum. experiment ...	2009	19027237
neospora caninum associated with epidemic abortions in dairy cattle: the first clinical neosporosis report in turkey.	neospora caninum, a protozoan parasite, has been considered as one of the most important etiological agents responsible for abortion in dairy cattle throughout the world since it was first identified in dogs in 1988. in this report, characteristics of neosporosis, detected in a dairy cow ranch having epidemic abortions as high as 18.4%, were described. blood samples were collected from 25 infertile or aborted dairy cattle, 6 calves born in 2006 and 40 heifers that were born in 2005 and raised in ...	2009	19028014
factors affecting plasma prolactin concentrations throughout gestation in high producing dairy cows.	the aim of the present study was to investigate possible relationships between plasma concentrations of prolactin and the following factors throughout gestation in lactating dairy cows: photoperiod, season, milk production, neospora caninum-seropositivity, twin pregnancy, and plasma concentrations of pregnancy associated glycoproteins-1 (pag-1), progesterone and cortisol. pregnancy was diagnosed by trans-rectal ultrasonography on day 40 post-insemination and by palpation per rectum on days 90, 1 ...	2009	19036554
comparison of two pcr protocols for the detection of neospora caninum dna in rodents.	the objective of the present study was, due to increasing interest in the epidemiological role of small mammals as potential reservoir of neospora caninum, to compare two different pcr protocols for the diagnosis of n. caninum in rodents. we tested tissue samples from 50 house mice (mus musculus), 50 rats (rattus norvegicus) and 35 field mice (apodemus sylvaticus). two different pcr protocols based on primer pairs, np4-np7 and np6plus-np21plus, were used for diagnosis on these samples. while the ...	2009	19036521
proteomes and transcriptomes of the apicomplexa--where's the message?	the apicomplexa have some of the most comprehensive and integrated proteome datasets of all pathogenic micro-organisms. coverage is currently at a level where these data can be used to help predict the potential biological function of proteins in these parasites, without having to defer to measurement of mrna levels. transcriptomic data for the apicomplexa (microarrays, expressed sequence tag (est) collections, serial analysis of gene expression (sage) and massively parallel signature sequencing ...	2009	18996390
seroprevalence of neospora caninum antibodies in beef cattle in three southern states of mexico.	the aims of the present study were to examine the seroprevalence of neosporosis in beef herds from three southern states of mexico and determine the association with several risk factors. a cross-sectional serological survey for neospora caninum was carried out by sampling a total of 596 animals from 31 herds in chiapas, veracruz, and yucatan states and tested using an elisa assay (idexx) to detect anti-n. caninum antibodies. the overall prevalence was 11.6%, (95% ci: 0.93-0.14), however, the pr ...	2009	19016341
neospora caninum, potential cause of abortions in dairy cows: the current serological follow-up in slovakia.	neosporosis is considered to be a contributing risk factor for abortions in dairy cows and other farm animals and has negative economic impact on their breeding. in respect of the rapid spread of neosporosis in herds throughout the world, our aim was to detect the prevalence of anti-neospora antibodies in cows post-abortion (pa) (pa group n=716) and in cows without any reproduction problems (control group n=247) on large breeding farms from eastern slovakia. the overall mean seropositivity in pa ...	2009	19019551
first isolation of neospora caninum from the faeces of a dog from portugal.	we report the in vitro isolation of neospora caninum from the faeces of a naturally infected 8-year-old male stray boxer from portugal. vero cell cultures were infected using parasite stages obtained after oral inoculation of gamma-interferon knockout mice with 10(2) sporulated oocysts. the isolate was identified by microscopical examination, as well as histological, immunological and molecular methods including a dna-microsatellite-based typing technique, and was subsequently named nc-p1. the d ...	2009	19036520
molecular approaches to diversity of populations of apicomplexan parasites.	apicomplexan parasites include many parasites of importance either for livestock or as causative agents of human diseases. the importance of these parasites has been recognised by the european commission and resulted in support of the cost (cooperation in science and technology) action 857 'apicomplexan biology in the post-genomic era'. in this review we discuss the current understanding in 'biodiversity and population genetics' of the major apicomplexan parasites, namely the eimeria spp., crypt ...	2009	18983997
natural breeding with bulls experimentally infected with neospora caninum failed to induce seroconversion in dams.	four bulls and 56 heifers seronegative to neospora caninum were used to determine the feasibility of venereal transmission in bovine neosporosis under natural conditions. bulls were experimentally infected with 10(8) live n. caninum tachyzoites. two of them with the nc-1 isolate and the other two with the nc-spain-7 isolate. after 13 months of initial infection, each bull was re-infected with the same isolate and dose. the experiments were carried out from march to september during 2006 and 2007 ...	2009	18962878
infection of primary canine duodenal epithelial cell cultures with neospora caninum.	according to current knowledge, sexual development of the apicomplexan parasite neospora caninum takes place in the canine intestine. however, to date there is no information on the interaction between the parasite and the canine intestinal epithelium, and, next to the clinical and in vivo research tools, an in vitro model comprised of canine intestinal cells infected with n. caninum would be very helpful for investigations at the cellular level. following the isolation of cells of neonatal cani ...	2009	18821824
disease threats to the endangered iberian lynx (lynx pardinus).	the iberian lynx, (lynx pardinus), is the most endangered felid in the world. to determine whether sympatric carnivores are reservoirs of pathogens posing a disease risk for the lynx, evidence of exposure to 17 viral, bacterial and protozoan agents was investigated in 176 carnivores comprising 26 free-living lynx, 53 domestic cats, 28 dogs, 33 red foxes (vulpes vulpes), 24 egyptian mongooses (herpestes ichneumon), 10 common genets (genetta genetta) and 2 eurasian badgers (meles meles) in the are ...	2009	18555712
some factors affecting the abortion rate in dairy herds with high incidence of neospora-associated abortions are different in cows and heifers.	the aim of this study was to determine if the factors affecting the abortion rate in dairy herds with high incidence of neospora-associated abortions are different in pregnancies of cows and heifers chronically infected with neospora caninum. in heifers (n = 229), an increase in the cumulative number of days with a mean relative humidity (rh) lower than 60% during the second trimester of gestation increases the risk of abortion. yet, the likelihood of abortion was 7.6 times lower for pregnant he ...	2010	19210662
plasmacytoid and conventional dendritic cells are early producers of il-12 in neospora caninum-infected mice.	neospora caninum is a coccidian parasite causative of clinical infections in a wide range of animal hosts. the maturation and activation of splenic conventional dendritic cells (cdcs) and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pdcs) were studied here in balb/c mice challenged intraperitoneal with n. caninum tachyzoites. the number of cdcs was found to decrease in the spleen of the infected mice 12 h and 2 days after the parasitic challenge, whereas at day 5 after infection it was significantly above that ...	2010	19755980
intraperitoneal and intra-nasal vaccination of mice with three distinct recombinant neospora caninum antigens results in differential effects with regard to protection against experimental challenge with neospora caninum tachyzoites.	recombinant ncpdi(recncpdi), ncrop2(recncrop2), and ncmag1(recncmag1) were expressed in escherichia coli and purified, and evaluated as potential vaccine candidates by employing the c57bl/6 mouse cerebral infection model. intraperitoneal application of these proteins suspended in saponin adjuvants lead to protection against disease in 50% and 70% of mice vaccinated with recncmag1 and recncrop2, respectively, while only 20% of mice vaccinated with recncpdi remained without clinical signs. in cont ...	2010	19835644
flock-level seroprevalence of, and risk factors for, neospora caninum among sheep and goats in northern jordan.	during the period january 2002 to december 2003, serum samples were collected from 104 small ruminant flocks consisting of 18 sheep flocks, 27 goat flocks and 59 mixed flocks containing both sheep and goats in northern jordan. only female animals were sampled. at least 5 females aged over 2 years per flock per species were sampled and examined for anti-neospora caninum antibodies using elisa. to increase the chances of detecting positive flocks, sick or older ewes were sampled. also, n. caninum ...	2010	19923025
risk factors associated with neospora caninum seropositivity in sheep from the state of alagoas, in the northeast region of brazil.	the aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with neospora caninum seropositivity in sheep from the state of alagoas, in the northeast region of brazil. twenty-six herds were selected, and blood samples were collected from 343 animals > 6-mo-old. the indirect fluorescent antibody test (ifat) was used for serological diagnosis of n. caninum infection. epidemiological questionnaires were applied for each herd to identify the risk factors associated with infection. thirty-three (9. ...	2010	19799489
seroprevalence of neospora caninum infection in dairy cattle in northeastern china.	the seroprevalence of neospora caninum infection in china's northeastern heilongjiang province was surveyed between 2007 and 2008. in total, 540 serum samples of dairy cattle from 9 counties were examined for antibodies to n. caninum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa). the overall seroprevalence of n. caninum in dairy cattle was 13.3% (72/540). the seroprevalence of n. caninum in aborting cows (14.9%) was slightly higher than that in nonaborting cows (10.3%). dairy cattle with 5 pregna ...	2010	19895158
members of a novel protein family containing microneme adhesive repeat domains act as sialic acid-binding lectins during host cell invasion by apicomplexan parasites.	numerous intracellular pathogens exploit cell surface glycoconjugates for host cell recognition and entry. unlike bacteria and viruses, toxoplasma gondii and other parasites of the phylum apicomplexa actively invade host cells, and this process critically depends on adhesins (microneme proteins) released onto the parasite surface from intracellular organelles called micronemes (mic). the microneme adhesive repeat (mar) domain of t. gondii mic1 (tgmic1) recognizes sialic acid (sia), a key determi ...	2010	19901027
toxoplasma gondii infection specifically increases the levels of key host micrornas.	the apicomplexan parasite toxoplasma gondii can infect and replicate in virtually any nucleated cell in many species of warm-blooded animals; thus, it has evolved the ability to exploit well-conserved biological processes common to its diverse hosts. here we have investigated whether toxoplasma modulates the levels of host micrornas (mirnas) during infection.	2010	20090903
investigation of neospora caninum, hammondia sp., and toxoplasma gondii in tissues from slaughtered beef cattle in bahia, brazil.	neospora caninum, hammondia sp., and toxoplasma gondii are parasites with morphological and genetic similarities. n. caninum and t. gondii are important abortive agents of cattle and sheep, respectively, and may infect numerous animal species. hammondia sp. is not known to induce disease in animals, but may cause confusion in the identification of closely related coccidia. the aim of this study was to investigate infection rates caused by n. caninum, hammondia sp., and t. gondii in beef cattle u ...	2010	19943064
seroprevalence of neospora caninum antibodies and its consequences for reproductive parameters in dairy cows from dakar-senegal, west africa.	the aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of neospora caninum antibodies and its effects on reproductive parameters in cows in intensive dairy herds in dakar. randomised blood samples were taken for serology from 196 cows in four herds with a history of sporadic abortion. all of the sera were assayed for antibodies against n. caninum, candida guillermondii, coxiella burnetii, and chlamydophila sp. the associations between serostatus and reproductive parameters (abortion, number o ...	2010	19997972
neospora caninum excreted/secreted antigens trigger cc-chemokine receptor 5-dependent cell migration.	neospora caninum, the causative agent of neosporosis, is an obligate intracellular parasite considered to be a major cause of abortion in cattle throughout the world. most studies concerning n. caninum have focused on life cycle, seroepidemiology, pathology and vaccination, while data on host-parasite interaction, such as host cell migration, mechanisms of evasion and dissemination of this parasite during the early phase of infection are still poorly understood. here we show the ability of excre ...	2010	20060395
associations between reproductive performance and seropositivity for bovine leukemia virus, bovine viral-diarrhea virus, mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, and neospora caninum in canadian dairy cows.	our objective was to investigate effects of seropositivity for bovine leukemia virus (blv), type 1 bovine viral-diarrhea virus (bvdv), mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (map), and neospora caninum (nc), and their possible interactions, on reproductive efficiency (specifically, first-service conception [fsc], and calving interval [ci]) in dairy cows. the sample population included up to 30 randomly selected animals from 179 randomly selected farms in five provinces in canada, from w ...	2010	20015556
first identification of neospora caninum by pcr in aborted bovine foetuses in romania.	the first identification of neospora caninum infection in aborted bovine foetuses in romania is reported. nine aborted foetuses were collected from a dairy farm. the foetal age of foetuses was between 3 and 7 months. a 7-month-old foetus was mummified. n. caninum dna nc-5 region was amplified from samples extracted from brain tissues of three (33.3%) aborted foetuses. the foetal ages of pcr positive foetuses were 3, 4 and 7 months (mummified). no specific lesions or tissue cysts were found to th ...	2010	19953273
risk factors associated with neospora caninum seropositivity in randomly sampled canadian dairy cows and herds.	our objective was to determine cow- and herd-level risk factors associated with seropositivity for neospora caninum in a large number of randomly selected canadian dairy herds, controlling for important confounding variables and co-infections with bovine leukemia virus (blv), bovine viral diarrhea virus (bvdv) and mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (map). serum samples were obtained from 30 randomly selected cows, where available, in 240 herds using monthly milk testing, within 6 of ...	2010	20018395
toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum in sparrows (passer domesticus) in the northeast of brazil.	toxoplasma gondii is a cosmopolitan protozoan parasite of warm-blooded animals that causes high rates of infection in mammals and birds. sparrows (passer domesticus) are synantropic birds which are distributed worldwide. they serve as intermediate hosts for the parasite but are quite resistant to toxoplasmosis. the aims of this study were to determine the frequency of t. gondii infection in sparrows using serologic and molecular tests, and to investigate related parasites, such as neospora canin ...	2010	19879051
fetal death in cows experimentally infected with neospora caninum at 110 days of gestation.	neospora caninum is a major cause of abortion in cattle, but the reasons why some animals abort and not others remain unclear. most of the n. caninum experimental primary infections in cattle late in gestation, after 120 days of pregnancy, result in birth of full-term congenitally infected fetuses. in the present study, the distribution of parasites and pathogenesis of infection in both dams and fetuses after inoculation with 10(7) culture derived tachyzoites of n. caninum nc-illinois cattle str ...	2010	20089361
protection against lethal neospora caninum infection in mice induced by heterologous vaccination with a mic1 mic3 knockout toxoplasma gondii strain.	neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii are closely related, obligate intracellular parasites infecting a wide range of vertebrate hosts and causing abortion and neonatal morbidity and mortality. several lines of evidence suggest that cross immunity between these two pathogens could be exploited in the design of strategies for heterologous vaccination. we assessed the ability of an attenuated strain of t. gondii ("mic1-3ko strain") conferring strong protection against chronic and congenital toxop ...	2010	19995895
neospora caninum: early immune response of rat mixed glial cultures after tachyzoites infection.	neospora caninum causes neurologic disease in dogs and abortion in cattle. little is known about the immune response of the cns against this protozoan. the aim of this study was to evaluate production of il-6, il-10, tnf-alpha, ifn-gamma, and no in rat mixed glial cell cultures infected by n. caninum. ifn-gamma was not observed. the mean cytokine released after 24 and 72 h of infection were 3.8+/-0.6 and 3.7+/-0.6 pg tnf-alpha/mg protein and 2.7+/-0.69 and 4.1+/-0.64 pg il-10/mg protein, respect ...	2010	20045699
a4d12 monoclonal antibody recognizes a new linear epitope from sag2a toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites, identified by phage display bioselection.	toxoplasma gondii surface is coated by closely related antigens that belong to srs (sag-1 related sequences) superfamily. two tachyzoite-specific srs antigens, sag1 and sag2, are immunodominant proteins that apparently modulate the virulence of infection by inducing the host immune response against tachyzoites during the acute phase. in this study, we described a conformationally insensitive monoclonal antibody (a4d12mab) that recognizes a linear epitope shared by two isoforms of p22 that is exp ...	2010	19261354
seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum in wild and domestic ruminants sharing pastures in galicia (northwest spain).	the prevalence of antibodies to the protozoan parasites toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum were investigated by the direct agglutination test (dat) and celisa, respectively, in 160 roe deer (capreolus capreolus), 177 sheep and 178 cattle sharing pastures in galicia (northwest spain). the seroprevalence for t. gondii was 13.7% in roe deer, 57% in sheep and 7.3% in cattle. the seroprevalence for n. canimum was 6.8%, 10.1% and 24.1% in roe deer, sheep and cattle, respectively. statistically sig ...	2010	19482324
seroprevalence of antibodies to neospora caninum in bos javanicus ('bali cattle') from indonesia.	a cross-sectional survey was performed to obtain first information on the presence of neospora caninum infection in bos javanicus ('bali cattle'), the predominant beef cattle in the eastern islands of indonesia. serum samples were collected from 438 bali cattle of two age classes (<2 years, >2 years) and both genders at three slaughterhouses in the bali island, and examined for n. caninum-specific antibodies using native ncsrs2 (p38 antigen) as an elisa antigen. the estimated overall seroprevale ...	2010	19533406
a second generation multiplex pcr for typing strains of neospora caninum using six dna targets.	genetic diversity of neospora caninum was investigated through a study of repetitive sequences found in the genome of this species. twenty different loci were studied, and three were identified that varied in repeat content amongst isolates. no relationship was found between the copy number of repetitive sequences present and host type or geographical location from which the isolates were derived. a multiplex pcr assay was developed for multilocus-strain typing using three microsatellites and th ...	2010	19683051
prevalence of antibodies to trypanosoma cruzi, toxoplasma gondii, encephalitozoon cuniculi, sarcocystis neurona, besnoitia darlingi, and neospora caninum in north american opossums, didelphis virginiana, from southern louisiana.	we examined the prevalence of antibodies to zoonotic protozoan parasites ( trypanosoma cruzi, toxoplasma gondii, and encephalitozoon cuniculi) and protozoans of veterinary importance ( neospora caninum, sarcocystis neurona, and besnoitia darlingi) in a population of north american opossums ( didelphis virginiana) from louisiana. samples from 30 opossums were collected as part of a survey for t. cruzi in louisiana. frozen sera from these 30 opossums were examined using an indirect immunofluoresce ...	2010	21158620
seroprevalence of neospora caninum infection in dairy cattle of southern china.	a seroepidemiological survey of neospora caninum infection in dairy cattle was carried out in china's southern guangdong province between july 2009 and march 2010. a total of 370 serum samples of dairy cattle was collected from 5 farms and examined for antibodies to n. caninum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. the overall seroprevalence of n. caninum in dairy cattle was 18.9% (70/370). the seroprevalence of n. caninum in aborting cows (22.7%) was higher than that in nonaborting cows (16.3%), ...	2010	21348632
neosporosis in an aborted southern white rhinoceros (ceratotherium simum simum) fetus.	in december 2008, a southern white rhinoceros (ãsimum simum) aborted a 7-mo gestation male fetus. on hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of fetal tissues, foci of necrosis were noted in the hepatic parenchyma and were associated with low numbers of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and neutrophils. protozoal zoites were identified within the hepatic lesions and within the cerebellum. evaluations utilizing immunohistochemistry, polymerase chain reaction, and dna sequencing identified the protozoan as ...	2010	21370658
viability of sporulated oocysts of neospora caninum after exposure to different physical and chemical treatments.	the aim of the present study was to evaluate the viability of neospora caninum sporulated oocysts after various chemical and physical treatments. bioassays in gerbils and molecular techniques (pcr-rflp) were used for identification of the oocysts shed by experimentally infected dogs. sporulated oocysts were purified and divided into 11 treatment groups as follows: absolute ethanol for 1 hr; 20 c for 6 hr; 4 c for 6 hr; 60 c for 1 min; 100 c for 1 min; 10% formaldehyde for 1 hr; 10% ammonia for 1 ...	2010	21348620
occurrence of antibodies anti-neospora caninum, anti-toxoplasma gondii, and anti-leishmania chagasi in serum of dogs from pará state, amazon, brazil.	a cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the occurrence of anti-toxoplasma gondii, anti-neospora caninum, and anti- leishmania chagasi antibodies in dogs of the state of pará, brazil. for this purpose, 129 blood samples were collected from dogs of different ages and gender. samples of 72 dogs were collected from 39 rural properties from 19 municipalities, and 57 samples were from stray dogs, collected after captivity by the center of zoonosis control from the municipality of santarém. ...	2010	20445991
neospora spp. and toxoplasma gondii antibodies in horses in the czech republic.	during january 2007, blood samples were collected from 552 healthy horses from nine different regions of the czech republic. sera were tested for serum antibodies to neospora caninum by a competitive-inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmed by an indirect fluorescent antibody test. the same samples were tested for serum antibodies against toxoplasma gondii by a latex agglutination test. in total, 131 of 552 (24%) horses reacted positively for neospora antibodies in competitive- ...	2010	20532561
prevalence of anti-toxoplasma gondii and anti-neospora caninum antibodies in swine from northeastern brazil.	a serologic survey was conducted among 130 swine slaughtered in the public slaughterhouse of the city of patos, paraíba state, northeastern brazil, to determine the prevalence of anti-toxoplasma gondii and anti-neospora caninum antibodies, and to verify possible associations between sex of the animals and antibody prevalence. the sera were analyzed by indirect antibody tests, considering 1:64 (t. gondii) and 1:50 (n. caninum) dilutions as cut-off points. the prevalence of anti-t. gondii antibodi ...	2010	20624342
toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum in wildlife: common parasites in belgian foxes and cervidae?	sera from cervidae were tested for the presence of antibodies against neospora caninum using elisa; and against toxoplasma gondii using sag1-elisa and a commercially available agglutination test. the t. gondii seroprevalence was 52% (38/73) in roe deer (capreolus capreolus), 0% in bred fallow deer (0/4) (dama dama) and red deer (0/7) (cervus elaphus). we found 2.7% of the roe deer samples and none of the bred deer samples positive for n. caninum. brain samples from wild roe deer, red deer and re ...	2010	21236577
experimental infection of dogs (canis familiaris) with sporulated oocysts of neospora caninum.	neospora caninum is widely distributed in the world and this parasite is one of the major causes of abortion in cattle. dogs and coyotes are definitive hosts of n. caninum and several species of domestic and wild animals are intermediate hosts. dogs can become infected by the ingestion of tissues containing cysts and then excrete oocysts. it is not yet known whether sporulated oocysts are able to induce a patent infection in dogs, i.e. a shedding of n. caninum oocysts in feces. the objective of ...	2010	21094584
crystallization and preliminary x-ray structural analysis of nucleoside triphosphate hydrolases from neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii.	the nucleoside triphosphate hydrolases that are produced by neospora caninum (ncntpase) and toxoplasma gondii (tgntpase-i) have a different physiological function from the ubiquitous ecto-atpases. the recombinant enzymes were crystallized at 293 k using polyethylene glycol 3350 as a precipitant and x-ray diffraction data sets were collected for ncntpase (to 2.8 å resolution) and tgntpase-i (to 3.1 å resolution) at 100 k using synchrotron radiation. the crystals of ncntpase and tgntpase-i belonge ...	2010	21045291
prevalence of antibodies against toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum in moose (alces alces) and roe deer (capreolus capreolus) in sweden.	toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum are two coccidian parasites with a worldwide distribution. t. gondii is one of the more common parasitic zoonoses in the world and in young children and immunocompromised persons, infection can lead to severe disease and death. n. caninum is an important cause of abortions in cattle. wildlife have been identified as reservoirs and transmitters for both parasites. the purpose of this study was to investigate the seroprevalences of t. gondii, and n. caninum i ...	2010	21232869
serological profile of toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum infection in commercial sheep from são paulo state, brazil.	neosporosis and toxoplasmosis are two important infections in young and adult sheep, leading to low production and abortion. this study aimed to determine the frequency of antibodies to toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum in sheep from the eastern region of são paulo state, brazil. serum samples (382) were collected from the sheep and assayed for t. gondii through modified agglutination test (mat) and indirect fluorescent antibody test (ifat), and for n. caninum antibodies, through ifat, with ...	2010	21256676
stress-driven stage transformation of neospora caninum.	neosporiosis, a serious disease caused by the apicomplexan intracellular parasite neospora caninum, is considered to be one of the most economically important diseases in cattle. it is associated with potentially serious complications such as abortion, stillbirth and maternal infertility. to survive in fluctuating physiological and immunological environments, n. caninum has evolved a diverse set of regulatory mechanisms that govern various adaptive responses. the most intriguing paradigm in n. c ...	2010	20165871
conventional and molecular diagnostic testing for the acute neurologic patient.	the aim of this review is to describe and evaluate both conventional and molecular diagnostic testing utilized in dogs and cats with acute neurologic diseases. various types of polymerase chain reaction (pcr) are explored along with novel molecular diagnostic testing that ultimately may prove useful in the critical care setting.	2010	20230434
necrotizing cerebellitis and cerebellar atrophy caused by neospora caninum infection: magnetic resonance imaging and clinicopathologic findings in seven dogs.	adult dogs with neosporosis can develop a variety of neurologic signs. no area of predilection within the nervous system so far has been identified in adult dogs.	2010	20337912
comparative analysis of stage specific gene regulation of apicomplexan parasites: plasmodium falciparum and toxoplasma gondii.	apicomplexans comprise some of the most life threatening parasites infecting human and livestock and includes plasmodium and toxoplasma, the causative agents of malaria and toxoplasmosis respectively, in humans as well as neospora caninum (abortion in livestock, neosporosis in dogs), cryptosporidium (diarrheal cryptosporidiosis and opportunistic infections in aids patients) and eimeria (poultry coccidiosis). these parasites are characterized by a complex life cycle usually alternating between se ...	2010	20429866
comparative evaluation of immunofluorescent antibody and new immunoblot tests for the specific detection of antibodies against besnoitia besnoiti tachyzoites and bradyzoites in bovine sera.	besnoitia besnoiti, an apicomplexan parasite causes economically important disease in cattle in many countries of africa and asia is re-emerging in europe. serological identification of infected cattle is important because introduction of these animals into naive herds seems to play a major role in the transmission of the parasite. we report new, simplified immunoblot-based serological tests for the detection of b. besnoiti-specific antibodies. antigens were used under non-reducing conditions in ...	2010	20378250
prevalence of antibodies to neospora caninum in stray dogs of urmia, iran.	to investigate anti-neospora caninum antibodies in stray dogs living in urmia city, 135 blood samples were collected. serum samples were screened for detection of anti-n. caninum igg antibodies using indirect fluorescent antibody test (ifat; >or=50). antibodies were seen in 36 (27%) of 135 dogs. the ifat antibody titers were as follows: 1:50 in 16 dogs, 1:100 in ten dogs, 1:200 in six dogs, 1:400 in one dog, 1:800 in two dogs, and 1:1,600 in one dog. there were no significant differences in sero ...	2010	20379836
development of an indirect elisa test using an affinity purified surface antigen (p38) for sero-diagnosis of canine neospora caninum infection.	neospora caninum is an intracellular protozoan that infects domestic and wild canids, as well as many warm blooded animals as shown by the isolation of viable parasites and the detection of parasite dna in naturally infected hosts. n. caninum is described as a cause of neuromuscular disease and death in dogs. the dog is also known as a definitive host, shedding oocysts involved in the transmission of the infection to intermediate hosts. this study was conducted to develop an indirect elisa test ...	2010	20434268
australian dingoes are definitive hosts of neospora caninum.	to provide objective data on the potential role of dingoes (canis lupus dingo) in the life cycle of neospora caninum in australia, the production of n. caninum oocysts by experimentally infected canids was investigated. three dingo pups raised in captivity and three domestic dogs were fed tissue from calves infected with an australian isolate of n. caninum, nc-nowra. oocysts of n. caninum, confirmed by species-specific pcr, were shed in low numbers by one dingo pup at 12-14 days p.i. the remaini ...	2010	20149793
meningoencephalitis associated with sarcocystis spp. in a free-living japanese raccoon dog (nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus).	a free-living, young adult, male japanese raccoon dog (nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) was rescued in gifu, japan in march 2009. the animal was weak and emaciated with neurological signs that included head tilt, tremor and tic. the brain showed no gross abnormality at necropsy, but microscopically there was severe meningoencephalitis associated with protozoa, which were morphologically consistent with the asexual developmental stage of sarcocystis spp. the protozoa were immunohistochemicall ...	2010	20163802
the first report of ovine cerebral neosporosis and evaluation of neospora caninum prevalence in sheep in new south wales.	presence of neospora caninum dna was detected in the brain and spinal cord of an adult merino sheep suspected of dying with acute non-suppurative meningoencephalitis and mild to moderate non-suppurative myelitis. the most severe neurological lesions were found in the midbrain at the rostral coliculi with moderate to severe multifocal vasculitis and gliosis. as this was the first known occurrence of cerebral disease in sheep in australia caused by n. caninum, we surveyed sera from five sheep prop ...	2010	20189309
prevalence of antibodies to trypanosoma cruzi, leishmania infantum, encephalitozoon cuniculi, sarcocystis neurona, and neospora caninum in capybara, hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, from são paulo state, brazil.	little is known about the importance of capybara, hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, as reservoirs for parasites of zoonotic or veterinary importance. sera from 63 capybaras, from 6 counties in the state of são paulo, brazil, were examined for antibodies to trypanosoma cruzi, leishmania infantum, encephalitozoon cuniculi, sarcocystis neurona, and neospora caninum using an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. five (8%) of the 63 capybaras had antibodies to t. cruzi epimastigotes. none of the samples ...	2010	20020808
identification of neospora caninum proteins regulated during the differentiation process from tachyzoite to bradyzoite stage by dige.	identification of differentially expressed proteins during neospora caninum tachyzoite-bradyzoite conversion processes may lead to a better knowledge of the pathogenic mechanisms developed by this important parasite of cattle. in the present work, a differential expression proteomic study of tachyzoite and bradyzoite stages was accomplished for the first time by applying dige technology coupled with ms analysis. up to 72 differentially expressed spots were visualized (1.5-fold in relative abunda ...	2010	20162558
neospora caninum: application of apical membrane antigen 1 encapsulated in the oligomannose-coated liposomes for reduction of offspring mortality from infection in balb/c mice.	liposomes coated with neoglycolipids constructed with mannopentaose and dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (m3-dppe), referred to as m3-dppe liposomes, have been shown to induce cellular immunity against antigens encapsulated therein. to evaluate whether these m3-dppe liposomes have an adjuvant capacity against neospora caninum infection, a novel immunization method utilizing soluble n. caninum apical membrane antigen 1 (ncama1) encapsulated in the m3-dppe liposomes (m3-ncama1) was employed. th ...	2010	20097198
neospora caninum: cloning and expression of a gene coding for cytokine-inducing profilin.	profilins are actin-binding proteins that in toxoplasma gondii stimulate innate immunity in mice by binding toll-like receptors (tlr) on dendritic cells (dc) leading to release of inflammatory cytokines, primarily il-12 and ifn-gamma. the purpose of the present study was to characterize neospora caninum profilin, termed ncprofilin. recombinant ncprofilin was purified by affinity chromatography, and used to prepare specific antisera to allow characterization of native ncprofilin antigen in n. can ...	2010	20211619
the prevalence and spatial clustering of neospora caninum in dairy herds in norway.	the aims of this study were to estimate the national herd prevalence and the general spatial distribution of neospora caninum infection in norwegian dairy cattle. bulk milk samples from 1657 randomly selected dairy herds were analysed by iscom elisa for the presence of n. caninum specific antibodies. the national herd prevalence was estimated to be 0.7% (95% ci: 0.3-1.2%), which is the lowest national herd prevalence reported in europe. in addition, we included a subpopulation study in which all ...	2010	20227188
pathogenic characterization in mice of neospora caninum isolates obtained from asymptomatic calves.	in this study, we characterized 8 new isolates obtained from healthy but congenitally infected calves using a balb/c mouse model. neospora caninum-infected mice survived without exhibiting any clinical signs of disease. nevertheless, differences among isolates in parasite organ distribution, parasite burden and the severity of histopathological lesions were determined. mice infected with the nc-spain 5h, nc-spain 7 and nc-spain 9 isolates showed higher parasite burdens and more severe brain lesi ...	2010	20233488
a survey of neospora caninum-associated bovine abortion in large dairy farms of mashhad, iran.	neospora caninum is an apicomplexan protozoon causing abortion in cattle worldwide. the present study was designed to assess the importance of this parasite for causing abortion in dairy farms in the mashhad area of iran. of the aborted bovine fetuses, 151 were collected from dairy farms between 2006 and 2008. first, brain samples were examined by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) for the presence of n. caninum dna, diagnosis was complemented with immunohistochemistry (ihc) and fetal serology (eli ...	2010	20352453
detection of anti-toxoplasma gondii antibodies in experimentally and naturally infected non-human primates by indirect fluorescence assay (ifa) and indirect elisa.	the indirect fluorescence assay (ifa) and the indirect elisa were comparatively used to detect igg and igm antibodies for toxoplasma gondii in experimentally and naturally infected primates. in the experimentally infected group, antibodies of diagnostic value were detected at day 9 post-infection (pi) with the ifa (igg and igm) and with igg-elisa. igm-elisa detected antibodies for t. gondii starting at day 3 pi until the end of the experiment (102 days pi). of the 209 naturally infected sera tes ...	2010	20385056
influence of neospora caninum intra-specific variability in the outcome of infection in a pregnant balb/c mouse model.	previous assays in pregnant animals have demonstrated the effect of different host factors and timing of infection on the outcome of neosporosis during pregnancy. however, the influence of neospora caninum isolate itself has been poorly investigated. here, we compared the effects on clinical outcome and vertical transmission observed in a pregnant mouse model following infection with 10 different n. caninum isolates. the isolates in our study included the nc-liv isolate and nine n. caninum isola ...	2010	20416260
neospora caninum and coxiella burnetii seropositivity are related to endocrine pattern changes during gestation in lactating dairy cows.	q fever is a zoonotic infection caused by coxiella burnetii that is endemic worldwide. domestic ruminants are a source of infection for humans. given the suggestion that the bacterium recrudesces during pregnancy in cattle, this study was designed to determine whether c. burnetii infection affects hormonal patterns, such as progesterone, cortisol, pregnancy associated glycoproteins (pag), and prolactin during gestation in lactating cows. possible interactions with neospora caninum were also expl ...	2010	20416940
molecular characterization of neospora caninum mag1, a dense granule protein secreted into the parasitophorous vacuole, and associated with the cyst wall and the cyst matrix.	summary: in neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii, the parasitophorous vacuole (pv) is synthesized at the time of infection. during tachyzoite-to-bradyzoite stage conversion, the pv is later transformed into a tissue cyst that allows parasites to survive in their host for extended periods of time. we report on the characterization of ncmag1, the n. caninum orthologue of t. gondii mag1 (matrix antigen 1; tgmag1). the 456 amino acid predicted ncmag1 protein is 54% identical to tgmag1. by immunobl ...	2010	20444303
detection of toxoplasma gondii, neospora caninum, and encephalitozoon cuniculi in the brains of common voles (microtus arvalis) and water voles (arvicola terrestris) by gene amplification techniques in western austria (vorarlberg).	knowledge about the protozoan parasite fauna in voles (arvicolinae) in austria is rather limited, although some of these pathogens play an important role in human medicine and cause zoonoses (e.g., toxoplasma gondii and encephalitozoon cuniculi). others are of relevance in veterinary medicine and have a negative economic impact (e.g., neospora caninum). two hundred sixty-eight common voles (microtus arvalis) and 86 water voles (arvicola terrestris) from the most western austrian province, vorarl ...	2010	20480373
serologic profiles for sarcocystis sp. and neospora caninum and productive performance in naturally infected beef calves.	sarcocystis sp. and neospora caninum infections affect cattle worldwide causing important economic losses. the objective of the present study was to trace serologic profiles for sarcocystis sp. and n. caninum in naturally infected beef calves and analyze their relationship with transmission routes and productive performance. samples were collected in two cow-calf operations located in buenos aires province, argentina. in farm 1, 43 calves were bled and weighed three times. in farm 2, 69 calves w ...	2010	20101411
roles of cd122+ cells in resistance against neospora caninum infection in a murine model.	innate cells, such as natural killer (nk) cells and nkt cells, play essential roles as primary effector cells at the interface between the host and parasite until establishment of adaptive immunity. however, the roles of nk and nkt cells in defense against neospora caninum have not been well clarified. nk and nkt cells were depleted by the treatment with an anti-cd122 (interleukin-2 receptor beta chain) monoclonal antibody (mab, tm-β1) in vivo. the parasite burden in the brain of mice was promot ...	2010	20460838
neospora caninum: in vitro culture of tachyzoites in mcf-7 human breast carcinoma cells.	the development of neospora caninum tachyzoites, an apicomplexan protozoan parasite, was studied in vitro using the human breast carcinoma cell 7 (mcf-7) as the host cell line. the extracellular nc-1 tachyzoites in mcf-7 cells were observed and counted daily for 6 consecutive days post-infection to establish the growth curve. the intracellular parasites were observed by acridine orange staining using laser scanning confocal microscope. the results indicated that nc-1 tachyzoites invaded mcf-7 ce ...	2010	20566363
microsatellite typing and avidity analysis suggest a common source of infection in herds with epidemic neospora caninum-associated bovine abortion.	neosporosis is an important cause of reproductive failure in cattle worldwide. two different abortion patterns associated with neospora caninum infection have been observed in cattle herds: endemic and epidemic abortion outbreaks. the endemic pattern is characterized by an abortion problem in a herd persisting for several months or years, and is assumed to be caused by reactivation of a chronic infection. in epidemic outbreaks, abortions concentrate within a short period of time, most likely due ...	2010	20609521
seroprevalence of neospora caninum in gray wolves in scandinavia.	transmission of the protozoan parasite neospora caninum between wild and domestic animals has gained some interest during recent years. because of the close relationship between gray wolf (canis lupus) and dog it has been suggested that gray wolf is a definitive host for the parasite. the aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of n. caninum in scandinavian gray wolves and to investigate any geographical patterns of the infection. the investigation was based on blood samples collect ...	2010	20609524
abortions in bovines and neospora caninum transmission in an embryo transfer center.	neosporosis is considered to be one of the main causes of abortions in bovines. in this study we evaluated the congenital transmission and occurrence of abortions by neospora caninum in an embryo transfer center in neropolis, goiás. serological samples from 101 recipients, 61 donors, and 90 calves were analyzed. among these animals, 32.67% of the recipients, 22.22% of the donors, and 6.66% of the calves were positive for n. caninum. the rate of vertical transmission was 24%. there was a statisti ...	2010	20655663
kennel dogs as sentinels of leishmania infantum, toxoplasma gondii, and neospora caninum in majorca island, spain.	kennel dogs can serve as sentinels and/or reservoirs of diseases of veterinary and zoonotic interest because they have often roamed free and lived outdoors, thus being exposed to pathogens. we tested dogs from the kennel of inca (majorca/mallorca, balearic islands, spain) for evidence of infection with three protozoan parasites: leishmania infantum, toxoplasma gondii, and neospora caninum. exposure to l. infantum was found in 56.3% of 48 dogs (37.5% by western blot, 43.8% by pcr). only 30% of in ...	2010	20689966
recognition by toll-like receptor 2 induces antigen-presenting cell activation and th1 programming during infection by neospora caninum.	neospora caninum is an apicomplexan parasite responsible for major economic losses due to abortions in cattle. toll-like receptors (tlrs) sense specific microbial products and direct downstream signaling pathways in immune cells, linking innate, and adaptive immunity. here, we analyze the role of tlr2 on innate and adaptive immune responses during n. caninum infection. inflammatory peritoneal macrophages and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells exposed to n. caninum-soluble antigens presented an ...	2010	20404835