Title
First report of Neospora caninum infection in adult alpacas (Vicugna pacos) and lamas (Lama glama)
Date Issued
01 August 2004
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Chávez-Velásquez A.
Álvarez-García G.
Collantes-Fernández E.
Ortega-Mora L.M.
Centro de Investigaciones IVITA
Centro de Investigaciones IVITA
Abstract
Neospora caninum is a cyst-forming coccidian that mainly affects bovines, although Neospora infection has also been described in other domestic and wild ruminant species. Serum samples from 78 alpacas (Vicugna pacos) and 73 llamas (Lama glama) at a unique dilution of 1:50 tested by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) were further analyzed serologically by IFAT and Western blot in both ruminant species to avoid cross-reactions with closely related coccidian parasites and to confirm the existence of N. caninum-specific antibodies. IFAT titers ranging between 1:50 and 1:800 were found. When using Western blot, N. caninum tachyzoite-specific immunodominant antigens with apparent molecular weights of 17-18, 34-35, 37, and 60-62 kDa were also recognized, although some sera with 1:50 IFAT titers proved not to have N. caninum-specific antibodies. As expected, higher IFAT titers were associated with higher anti-N. caninum reactivity in Western blot. This report documents for the first time the presence of N. caninum infection in adult alpacas and llamas from Peru.
Start page
864
End page
866
Volume
90
Issue
4
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ciencia veterinaria
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-4344571588
PubMed ID
Source
Journal of Parasitology
ISSN of the container
00223395
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus