Ocorrência de anticorpos anti-Neospora caninum em cães da microrregião da Serra de Botucatu, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Abstract

RESUMONeosporose é uma enfermidade parasitária causada pelo protozoário Neospora caninum reconhecido como importante causa de abortamento bovino e neuropatia canina. Considerando o isolamento de N. caninum e a sorologia freqüente em bovinos em nossa região, os objetivos do presente trabalho foram avaliar a ocorrência de anticorpos anti-N. caninum em cães da Microrregião da Serra de Botucatu, Estado de São Paulo, e sua associação ao sexo, idade e procedência quanto à zona urbana (exclusivamente cidade), rural (somente cháca-ras e sítios) e peri-urbana (acesso à zona urbana e rural) dos cães estudados. Foram analisados 963 cães, com ou sem raça definida, de ambos os sexos e diferentes idades, sem apresentação de qualquer sintomatologia clínica. Os animais foram selecionados aleatoriamente durante a campanha de vacinação anti-rábica da microrregião da Serra Neosporosis is a parasitic disease caused by a protozoon Neospora caninum, which is recognized as an important cause of bovine abortion and canine neuropathy. Considering the isolation of N. caninum and the frequent serology in bovines of our region, the objectives of the present trial were to evaluate the occurrence of antibodies anti -N. caninum in dogs of the Botucatu range micro region, in the State of São Paulo, and its association with gender, age and origin (urban area -exclusively from the city; rural area -only farms and cottages; and periurban area -access to the urban and rural areas) of the dogs studied. A total of 963 dogs of defined breeds or non-defined breeds, of both genders and different ages, showing no clinical symptoms, were analyzed. Animals were randomly selected during the anti-rabies vaccination campaign in the region, from May to September 1998. Serum samples obtained from the animals were evaluated by means of the Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT) using as antigen N. caninum, standard strain NC-1. A total of 245 animals were reagent (25.4% positive results), with 161 (27.5%) males and 84 (22.3%) females. According to the origin -urban, rural and periurban areas -223 (25.8%), 11(16.9%) and 11(33.3%) dogs were, respectively, reagent to the IFAT. All of the 11 cities in this region presented seropositive dogs with occurrence rates ranging from 53.5 to 8.9%. The lower positive percentage was observed in dogs below 1 year old (16.2%) when compared with animals from 1 to 4 years old and more than 4 years old (28.4 % and 28.0% respectively), which did not present any differences between them. Results obtained characterized the seropositivity for N. caninum in dogs from all Municipalities in the Botucatu micro region showing the wide distribution of the agent in the region.

Seroprevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum in dogs in the state of Alagoas, Brazil

“…With regard to sex, five males (4.0%) and five females (4.5%) were positive, and there was no statistically significant difference between the sexes, as was also described in the studies carried out by Oliveira et al (2004), Jesus et al (2006), Romanelli et al (2007), Benetti et al (2008) and Moraes et al (2008). Moreover, when this variable was subjected to univariate analysis (P = 0.859), there was no association with occurrences of anti-N. caninum antibodies, thus demonstrating that in this region, males and females can be equally stricken and are subject to the same risks of infection (BOAVENTURA et al, 2007;CUNHA FILHO et al, 2008).…”

“…Other studies have revealed similar results, i.e. showing that seropositivity for N. caninum was higher in dogs that were over one year of age (FERNANDES et al, 2004;MORAES et al, 2008).…”

Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Leishmania spp. serology and Leishmania spp. PCR in dogs from Pirassununga, SP

“…Through the excretion of the oocysts eliminated in its feces, the domestic dog is the definitive host and source of infection for Neospora caninum. This parasite also negatively impacts cattle, causing abortion and a decline in reproductive performance resulting in economic loss (DE MORAES et al, 2008). The domestic dog is a toxoplasmosis intermediate host, infected by the ingestion of oocysts from cat feces and contaminated water, food, and soil or by carnivorism (TAYLOR et al, 2007).…”

Leishmaniose, leptospirose, brucelose, toxoplasmose, neosporose e doença de Chagas na população canina da Estância Turística de Ibiúna, São Paulo: inquérito de prevalência e fatores de risco

“…A positividade mais elevada no meio rural pode ser explicada pelo mais fácil acesso dos cães aos hospedeiros intermediários, que pode propiciar a ingestão de restos placentários e fetos bovinos abortados de vacas infectadas ou de carcaças de pequenos mamíferos e pássaros (SAWADA et al, 1998;WOUDA et al, 1999;BASSO et al, 2001;FERNANDES et al, 2004 (BASSO et al, 2001;PATITUCCI et al, 2001;VARANDAS et al, 2001;CÂNON-FRANCO et al, 2003;FERNANDES et al, 2004;AZEVEDO et al, 2005;JESUS et al, 2006;TEIXEIRA et al, 2006;BRESCIANI et al, 2007;BOAVENTURA et al, 2008;CUNHA FILHO et al, 2008;MORAES et al, 2008), contudo Wouda et al (1999) observaram maior suscetibilidade das fêmeas adultas que dos machos, fato que correlacionaram a fatores hormonais produzidos durante a gestação, porém Dubey (2003) admite que a susceptibilidade diferencial de sexo associado a neosporose nos cães é ainda desconhecida. Pode ser que a associação observada no presente estudo seja decorrência do comportamento dos machos, que muitas vezes apresentam maior liberdade de movimento que as fêmeas, fato já comentado para toxoplasmose.…”