Molecular and serological evaluation of neospora caninum infection in dogs from a rural setting in fars province, southern Iran

Abstract

Background: Dogs, as the definitive host of Neospora caninum, are important in the epidemiology of this parasitic infection. We aimed to determine the prevalence of N. caninum infection in a dog population from a rural setting in Fars Province, Southern Iran, using a combination of molecular and serological techniques. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Nov 2018 in three rural districts, Sar Mashhad, HosseinAbad, and Tolesaman located in Kazeroun Town-ship in Fars province, southern Iran. Blood samples were taken from 60 stray and household dogs. Dogs’ sera were tested for antibodies against N. caninum, using a Neospora-Modified Agglutination Test. Moreover, dogs’ buffy coats were tested for Neospora DNA, using a molecular method. Results: Anti-Neospora antibodies were detected in sera of 4 out of 60 dogs, corre-sponding to a seroprevalence rate of 6.7%. Out of 25 female dogs, 1 was seroposi-tive and of 35 males, 3 were seropositive, yet the differences were not statistically significant. The infection was more prevalent in adult dogs (>12 months), never-theless, the differences between age and Neospora seropositivity was not statistically significant. N. caninum DNA was not detected in the buffy coat of any of the studied dogs. Conclusion: Findings of the study indicate that N. caninum is a common infection in dogs in rural areas of Fars province in southern Iran. The infected dogs might be a potentially important source of N. caninum infection to livestock in the area.