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Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii infections in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in central desert of Iran

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Abstract

The protozoan parasite Neospora caninum infects carnivores as definitive and a wide range of mammals as intermediate hosts. This parasite is regarded as an important cause of abortion in cattle worldwide, causing significant economic losses. Although there is serological evidence of infection in Old World camelids, the significance of N. caninum in these animal species is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to use molecular and histological methods to detect N. caninum in the blood and tissues of 100 slaughtered one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Iran. For this, genomic DNA was extracted from blood, brain, portal lymph node and liver of the camels, and nested-PCR assay followed by sequencing were performed. Besides, paraffin-embedded tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and studied microscopically. In addition, immunohistochemical staining for N. caninum was attempted on brain samples with positive PCR results. All animals were tested for antibodies against N. caninum and Toxoplasma gondii by whole tachyzoite-agglutination tests. N. caninum DNA was detected in blood, brain, and portal lymph node, but not in the liver of two (2%) camels. Histopathological examination revealed cysts resembling N. caninum in brain samples of one of these camels; however, immunohistochemical staining for N. caninum and T. gondii did not allow a morphological identification. IgG antibodies to N. caninum and T. gondii were detected in 36% and 35% of the camels, respectively. This study provides the first insight into direct detection of N. caninum in C. dromedarius in Iran. Further molecular studies on aborted fetuses, stillborn animals and cases of perinatal mortality are needed to understand the possible involvement of N. caninum in cases of reproductive failure. As the definitive hosts of N. caninum are domestic and wild canids, producers should be advised to monitor and limit exposure of their camelids to these species and their feces.

Highlights

  • First direct detection of N. caninum DNA in blood and tissues of one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Iran.

  • N. caninum DNA was detected in blood, brain, portal lymph node, but not liver tissue.

  • Tissue cysts were observed in histological sections of the brain in one camel.

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Data supporting the conclusions of this article are included within the article and its supplementary tables.

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Funding

This study was funded by Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran, under the framework of Mr. Saeid Karimi M.Sc. thesis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, 6517658978, Iran

    Saeid Karimi, Alireza Nourian, Sakineh Azami & Alireza Sazmand

  2. Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, 6517658978, Iran

    Aliasghar Bahari

  3. Shiraz Branch, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Shiraz, Iran

    Mehdi Namavari

  4. Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012, Bern, Switzerland

    Walter Basso & Andrew Hemphill

Authors
  1. Saeid Karimi
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  2. Aliasghar Bahari
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  3. Alireza Nourian
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  4. Sakineh Azami
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  5. Mehdi Namavari
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  6. Walter Basso
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  7. Alireza Sazmand
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  8. Andrew Hemphill
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Contributions

Saeid Karimi: investigation, methodology. Aliasghar Bahari: conceptualization, investigation, methodology, resources, data curation, validation, supervision, project administration, funding acquisition. Alireza Nourian: investigation, methodology, writing—original draft. Sakineh Azami: investigation, methodology, writing—original draft. Mehdi Namavari: investigation, methodology, writing—original draft. Alireza Sazmand: investigation, data curation, validation, writing—original draft, writing—review and editing. Andrew Hemphill, Walter Basso: investigation, writing—original draft, writing—review and editing. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aliasghar Bahari.

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Sampling was approved by the Research Council of Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu‐Ali Sina University, Iran.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Section Editor: Sutherland Maciver

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Karimi, S., Bahari, A., Nourian, A. et al. Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii infections in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in central desert of Iran. Parasitol Res 122, 847–852 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-023-07783-w

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