Evidence of congenital transmission of Neospora caninum in naturally infected water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) fetus from Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the congenital infection by Neospora caninum in the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), a natural intermediate host. Nine pregnant water buffalos, raised under free-grazing condition, were slaughtered, and their fetuses were collected. Samples of brain and thoracic fluid were obtained from those fetuses, with gestational ages ranging from 2 to 5 months. The DNA of N. caninum was detected and identified in the brain of one of those fetuses, using two PCR assays, one directed to the Nc5 gene and the other, to the common toxoplasmatiid ITS1 sequence. The DNA fragments produced on PCR were sequenced, and N. caninum was confirmed in the samples. No antibodies to N. caninum were detected on any sample of thoracic fluid by immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT < 25). This is the first confirmation of congenital transmission of N. caninum in water buffalos.

Highly debilitating natural Trypanosoma vivax infections in Brazilian calves: epidemiology, pathology, and probable transplacental transmission

“…Recent studies involving the histopathologic lesions and isolation of protozoans by organs, tissues, and liquids from fetuses have confirmed the role played by these microorganisms in the transplacental transmission of many domestic animals species (Peters et al 2000;Williams et al 2005;Razmi et al 2007;Dubey 2009;Chryssafidis et al 2011;Wiengcharoen et al 2011). The congenital transmission of T. vivax in Brazilian cattle still requires confirmatory studies, but other studies confirmed the transplacental transmission of the parasite in Africa and South America (Losos and Ikede 1972;Ogwu et al 1986;Mendéndez and Willian 1993).…”

PCR detection of Neospora caninum in water buffalo foetal tissues

“…For each foetus, the obtained sequences from heart and brain showed complete homology. Moreover, the sequences were compared with the existing homologues in GeneBank and differed only at eleven nucleotides from that deposited by Chryssafidis et al (2011). In particular, the three fragments of the Nc5 genomic DNA region displayed homology levels of 96%, 97%, and 98%, respectively, with a Neospora caninum isolated from a naturally infected water buffalo foetus from Brazil (DQ059068.1).…”

All about neosporosis in Brazil

“…The other two cows and three buffaloes were inoculated with the NC-1 strain; all fetuses died by 35 dpi as determined by ultrasound and N. caninum DNA was detected in fetal tissues. Chryssafidis et al (2011) also showed, for the first time, that N. caninum can be transmitted transplacentally in naturally infected buffaloes; they found N. caninum DNA in one brain of the nine fetuses from buffaloes slaughtered in an abattoir, aiming Nc5 and ITS-1 DNA regions. Although, viable or intact parasite has not been demonstrated in naturally infected fetuses from buffaloes, this is the first indication of transplacental transmission in this host.…”