Neospora caninum DNA detection by TaqMan real-time PCR assay in experimentally infected pregnant heifers

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology 2014-01, Vol.199 (3-4), p.129-135
• Main Authors: Pereira, Gabriel Ribas, Vogel, Fernanda Silveira Flores, Bohrer, Rodrigo Camponogara, da Nóbrega, Jr, Janduí Escarião, Ilha, Gustavo Freitas, da Rosa, Paulo Roberto Antunes, Glanzner, Werner Giehl, Camillo, Giovana, Braunig, Patricia, de Oliveira, João Francisco Coelho, Gonçalves, Paulo Bayard Dias
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - parasitology; Cattle Diseases - pathology; Coccidiosis - pathology; Coccidiosis - veterinary; DNA, Protozoan - analysis; Female; Fetus - parasitology; Insemination, Artificial - veterinary; Neospora - genetics; Neospora - physiology; Neospora caninum; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Rate; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.10.018

Neosporosis has been considered the main cause of abortion between the first and the second trimester of pregnancy in cattle. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the presence of Neospora caninum DNA obtained from experimental models based on the evaluation of different areas of the fetal nervous system and organs from heifers previously inoculated with NC-1 after or before insemination. This study was performed with Hereford × Nelore (n=29) heifers and all animals were considered free of diseases at the beginning of the experiment. All animals were bred by fixed-time artificial insemination (TAI) and allocated as follows: (a) seronegative heifers subjected to TAI (TAI, n=9), (b) heifers infected with N. caninun 60 days prior to TAI (NC-1+TAI, n=9), and (c) heifers submitted to TAI and infected with N. caninum 60 days later (TAI+NC-1, n=11). The pregnancy was confirmed by transrectal ultrasonography 35 days after TAI and evaluated every 30 days until the end of gestation. Fetuses were collected surgically at 170 days of gestation, and immediately necropsied to remove tissues aseptically. Samples of the central nervous system (CNS), heart, kidney, lung, liver, skeletal muscle and caruncle were collected for DNA extraction. Days of gestation at abortion and interval from abortion to first insemination were examined by Student's t-test. At 35 days of gestation the pregnancy rates in the group NC-1+TAI (4/9, 44.4%) was lower than in the control group (8/9, 88.8%, P