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First report of seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in dairy sheep from Humid Pampa, Argentina

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe the occurrence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in dairy sheep from the Humid Pampa region, Argentina. Blood samples from 704 dairy sheep belonging to six flocks were collected. Using a cut off titer of 1:50, an indirect fluorescence antibody test was used. Antibodies to T. gondii or N. caninum were detected in 17.3 % (n = 122) and 3 % (n = 21), respectively. All the flocks had at least one seropositive animal to T. gondii but two of them had no seropositive sheep to N. caninum. Fifty-two of 122 (42.6 %) positive samples to T. gondii had antibody titers higher than 1:400. There was a significantly higher proportion of T. gondii seropositive animals in females and older sheep (p < 0.05). Ten of 21 (52.3 %) positive samples to N. caninum had antibody titers higher than 1:400. This is the first report of seroprevalence of T. gondii and N. caninum in dairy sheep from Humid Pampa, Argentina. Further research is required for a better understanding of the role of toxoplasmosis and neosporosis in dairy sheep in Argentina.

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Acknowledgments

Yanina P. Hecker thanks Megan Wilton for critical review and helpful comments. This work was funded by PICT 1880, INTA AESA 203971 and PNLEC 072141 grants, Argentina.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917 (C1033AAJ), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Yanina P. Hecker & Dadín P. Moore

  2. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Ruta Nacional 226 km. 73.5 (7620), Balcarce, Argentina

    Jorge A. Manazza, Ernesto J. A. Späth & Carlos M. Campero

  3. Cátedra de Inmunoparasitología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 60 y 118 (1900), La Plata, Argentina

    Juan M. Unzaga, Lais L. Pardini & María C. Venturini

  4. Cátedra de Producción de Rumiantes Menores, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, 5 y 116 (6360), General Pico, Argentina

    José L. Roberi

Authors
  1. Yanina P. Hecker
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  2. Dadín P. Moore
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  3. Jorge A. Manazza
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  4. Juan M. Unzaga
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  5. Ernesto J. A. Späth
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  6. Lais L. Pardini
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  7. María C. Venturini
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  8. José L. Roberi
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  9. Carlos M. Campero
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Correspondence to Yanina P. Hecker.

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Hecker, Y.P., Moore, D.P., Manazza, J.A. et al. First report of seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in dairy sheep from Humid Pampa, Argentina. Trop Anim Health Prod 45, 1645–1647 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-013-0396-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-013-0396-1

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