Seroprevalence of anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in cows of North-Eastern Algeria

Abstract

Aim: The present cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the seroprevalence of Neospora caninum infection both at herd and within herd and at determining risk factors that are associated with its seropositivity. Materials and Methods: A total of 90 cows distributed over seven herds located in two North-Eastern Algerian provinces were blood sampled in order to be tested for the presence of antibodies against N. caninum using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Results: The individual seroprevalence of N. caninum was found to be 12.22%, and six of the seven herds tested had at least one seropositive cow. The logistic regression model revealed that abortion (odds ratio [OR]=29.15) and parity (OR=7.38) were positively associated with the seropositivity of animals on an individual basis. Conclusion: The study confirms the existence of N. caninum infection in cattle in North-Eastern Algeria. However, a widespread infection rate of 85.71% and its significant statistical association with previous abortion (OR=29.15) need further investigations.

Serological Studies on Neosporosis and Risk Factors Assessment among Bovines of Haryana, India

“…The multiparous animals exhibited higher seropositivity (41.07%) for neosporosis in comparison to primiparous (23.81%) bovines. Llano et al (2018), Miroud et al (2019) and Serrano-Martinez et al (2019) also found a significantly higher proportion of N. caninum antibodies in multiparous dairy cattle.…”

“…This may be due to the immune system of pregnant animals which is more exposed to N. caninum during middle and last trimester of pregnancy rather than first trimester (Abdeltif et al, 2022). Several other studies also reported association of abortion history with seroprevalence of N. caninum (Sengupta et al, 2013;Yadav et al, 2016;Noori et al, 2019;Llano et al (2018;Miroud et al, 2019;Changoluisa et al, 2019;Mahajan et al (2019). The multiparous animals exhibited higher seropositivity (41.07%) for neosporosis in comparison to primiparous (23.81%) bovines.…”

“…The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the common test which Serological Studies on Neosporosis and Risk Factors Assessment among Bovines of Haryana, India detect antibody against N. caninum from bovine sera. The presence of antibody in an aborted animal or foetal fluid can't be conclusively establish that the cause of abortion is neosporosis, as many other abortifacient agents are also known (Miroud et al, 2019). But the evidence of N. caninum specific antibodies in dam sera gives an indication of existence of the infection or contact with these protozoa in the animals (Sengupta et al, 2013).…”

“…Bovine neosporosis, a maj or cause of spontaneous abortion in cattle is caused by Neospora caninum. Global economic losses due to neosporosis to the beef and dairy industries are estimated up to one billion US dollars annually (Miroud et al, 2019;Semango et al, 2019). N. caninum is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan protozoan parasite having canines as natural definitive hosts.…”

“…Horizontal transmission is possible by the ingestion of oocysts through contaminated feed and water (Talafha and Al-Majali, 2013;Ansari-Lari, 2020). The presence of definitive hosts like dogs that have access to the aborted foetuses and placentas in the dairy farm and subsequent shedding of faecal oocysts in the environment may aggravate the transmission by the horizontal route (Llano et al, 2018;Miroud et al, 2019;Darijani et al, 2021).…”