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Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in sheep from Federal District, central region of Brazil

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Abstract

Serum samples from 1028 sheep were collected from 32 herds within Federal District, in the central region of Brazil. The samples were examined by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) using sera diluted 1:64 and 1:50 as cut-off values for the detection of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum, respectively. The observed prevalence for T. gondii infection was 38.22% (26.81%<CI 0.95<49.62%), and the titers ranged from 64 to 65536. The observed prevalence for N. caninum infection was 8.81% (7.08%<CI 0.95<10.53%). The titers ranged from 50 to 51200. The reactant sera to both pathogens corresponded to 4.67% of the samples. The risk factors were not determined because of the absence of negative herds for T. gondii and the high proportion of positive herds for N. caninum (87.50%). The prevalence for T. gondii infection was significantly higher among males than in females. The present work is the first report on seroprevalence of T. gondii and N. caninum in sheep from Federal District and shows that infection by both parasites is widespread in the ovine population from this region.

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Abbreviations

CI:

confidence interval

EMATER:

Empresa de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural

FAPESP:

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

FITC:

fluorescein isothiocyanate

IBGE:

Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística

IFAT:

indirect fluorescent antibody test

OR:

odds ratio

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Acknowledgements

To FAPESP for scholarship and to EMATER for providing the ovine population data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unidade de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Mirassol, Pólo Centro Norte, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 445, CEP 15025-990, Caixa Postal 1013, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

    Tatiana Evelyn Hayama Ueno

  2. Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, ICC Sul, CEP 70910-970, Caixa Postal 4508, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil

    Vitor Salvador Picão Gonçalves, Tales Luís Bezerra Dilli & Bruno Minoru Akimoto

  3. Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, CEP 30123-970, Caixa Postal 567, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Marcos Bryan Heinemann

  4. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, CEP 05508-270, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Silvio Luís Pereira de Souza, Solange Maria Gennari & Rodrigo Martins Soares

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  1. Tatiana Evelyn Hayama Ueno
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Correspondence to Tatiana Evelyn Hayama Ueno.

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Ueno, T.E.H., Gonçalves, V.S.P., Heinemann, M.B. et al. Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in sheep from Federal District, central region of Brazil. Trop Anim Health Prod 41, 547–552 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-008-9220-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-008-9220-8

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