Seroprevalence and risk factors of infections with Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in hunting dogs from Campania region, southern Italy

Abstract

Abstract:Hunting dogs have probably a higher level of exposure to Neospora caninum Dubey, Carpenter, Speer, Topper et Uggla, 1988 and Toxoplasma gondii Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908 than other canine populations for their different lifestyle. The aim of our survey was to determine the seroprevalence of N. caninum and T. gondii in hunting dogs from southern Italy and assess risk factors related to these protozoan infections. Blood samples were collected from 398 hunting dogs (19 different breeds, aged from 5 month to 14 years). The sera were screened by indirect fluorescence antibody test; a titre ≥ 50 was considered positive. Antibodies to N. caninum and T. gondii were detected in 59 (15%) dogs with titres from 50 to 3 200 and in 94 (24%) dogs with titres from 50 to 1 600, respectively, with co-infection in 25 (6%) dogs. Statistical difference (p ≤ 0.05) was found only for infection with T. gondii between two age groups: ≥ 2-4 years (16%) and ≥ 4-7 years (33%); other observed characteristics were without statistical significance. Our results suggest that the hunting dogs could play an important role in the transmission cycle of N. caninum between wild animals and livestock. This is the first detection of antibodies to T. gondii in hunting dogs in Italy.

Seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in wild boars (Sus scrofa), hunting dogs, and hunters of Brazil

“…Hunting and stray dogs may be more exposed to T . gondii than domestic dogs due to their outdoor lifestyle with higher contact with free-roaming cats, oocysts, and intermediate hosts such as rodents and birds [45]. In south Spain and northern Africa, seropositivity of T .…”

“…In Brazil, 46/134 (34.3%) domestic dogs from rural areas have also shown higher prevalence to T . gondii when compared to 219/1,110 (19.7%) dogs from urban areas [43]; in these areas, the habit of feeding hunting dogs with eviscerated carcasses may contribute to increased exposure and infection [45]. Despite that wild boar’s viscera and tissues have been frequently offered to dogs after hunting activity in the present study, only consumption of raw rat meat (p = 0.005) at the household has been significantly associated with seropositivity, showing that urban rats may be more involved in dog T .…”

Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in local Bali dog

“…After the dogs had fasted overnight, 5 ml of blood was taken from the cephalic vein and collected into vacuum tubes without an anticoagulant agent. Sera were obtained by centrifugation for 10 min at 358 g and stored at −20°C until assayed [ 29 ] at the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Udayana University.…”

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Stray Dogs from Various Locations in West and East Malaysia

“…Dogs infected with T. gondii may not manifest clinical signs; however, they may occasionally show digestive, respiratory, and neurological signs and muscular anomalies, especially in immunocompromised patients [3]. Particularly, the risk of transmission of the T. gondii in dogs has been linked to their coprophagic and rolling behavior over grass or feces probably contaminated with oocysts [9,10].…”

“…Information on the environmental burden of T. gondii can be indirectly obtained from data on its seroprevalence in free-living animals. Stray dogs are considered as sentinels for indirect measurement of the burden of T. gondii in the environment, since they often roam about and are in close contact with the contaminated environment inhabited by humans [ 9 ]. The similarity in the prevalence of T. gondii infection in dogs and humans is also indicative of the former as an adequate sentinel of the parasite [ 12 – 14 ].…”