AI Article Synopsis
- Neosporosis, caused by the protozoan parasite Neospora caninum, leads to significant economic losses in cattle worldwide.
- Birds, particularly free-ranging eared doves, were studied in Southern Brazil as bioindicators for this parasite due to their ground-feeding habits.
- The study found that 31.72% of the doves had antibodies against N. caninum, indicating prior exposure, but no parasite DNA was detected, suggesting a need for further research on the role of doves in the parasite's life cycle.
Article Abstract
Neosporosis is an infectious disease caused by Neospora caninum, a protozoan parasite that has worldwide distribution and is responsible for enormous economic losses in cattle. Birds are considered a good bioindicator of environmental contamination, since they feed on the ground, being exposed to N. caninum oocysts. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of antibodies against N. caninum and to verify the presence of parasite DNA in brain from free-ranging eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) from Southern Brazil. For this purpose, blood and brain samples were collected from 249 doves for ELISA and PCR analysis respectively. The prevalence of N. caninum antibodies in doves was 31.72% (79/249) and detection of parasite DNA was not observed in none of birds. This is the first report of antibodies against N. caninum in doves Z. auriculata, what show us that these birds had previously contact with the parasite but since no N. caninum DNA was detected, more studies should be performed to elucidate the real importance of doves in the epidemiologic cycle of the N. caninum.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.07.007 | DOI Listing |
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