Experimental infection with Neospora caninum in pregnant bitches

Abstract

In this study, transplacental transmission of Neospora caninum in bitches at different stages of pregnancy was evaluated. Three bitches were inoculated in the 3 rd week and three in the 6 th week of gestation with 10 8 tachyzoites of N. caninum (Nc-1 strain). All the infected bitches and at least one of their offspring presented anti-N. caninum antibodies according to the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT ≥ 400). The pups and their mothers were sacrificed and tissues from the central nervous system (CNS), popliteal lymph nodes, skeletal muscle, brain, lungs, heart and liver were analyzed for the presence of N. caninum using the nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The parasite was found in the pups in lymph node, CNS, heart and liver tissues using nested PCR. There was no difference in perinatal mortality between the offspring from bitches infected in the 3 rd week of gestation (60%) and in the 6 th week (53.8%).

All about neosporosis in Brazil

“…Cavalcante et al (2012) confirmed transplacental transmission of N. caninum in dogs. Six bitches in two groups were inoculated with a very high dose (10 8 tachyzoites).…”

Sarcocystid organisms found in bile from a dog with acute hepatitis: a case report and review of intestinal and hepatobiliary Sarcocystidae infections in dogs and cats

“…Hindlimb paralysis, myositis, or both are most commonly reported, reflecting the neuromuscular tropism seen in intermediate hosts . Transplacental transmission has been demonstrated in experimental infection, and affected tissues from these puppies include the heart, lungs, abdominal viscera, and various neurologic tissues . It is not clear whether natural infections in puppies arise mainly through transplacental or transmammary infection, however, or whether young dogs are susceptible to infection from oocysts when adult dogs seem not to be.…”

Prevalence of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dogs in the municipality of Poconé, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

“…Although no association was found between the variables of urban/rural environment and the prevalence of the two agents, associations were found between several other variables. The association between young aged animals and seropositivity for N. caninum in dogs appears to suggest possible transplacental transmission (Cavalcante et al, 2012), which is also supported by the non-hunting behavior of many of these dogs. In contrast, an association was found between older dogs and the prevalence of T. gondii, indicating that the dogs in this region were exposed to this coccidian parasite for longer periods of time during their life, which suggests that the main route of infection in dogs is horizontal transmission (Cañón-Franco et al, 2003;Cano-Terriza et al, 2016).…”