Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
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Loss of infectivity of Neospora caninum oocysts maintained for a prolonged time

  • Uzeda, Rosangela Soares (Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinaria, Departamento de Patologia e Clinicas) ;
  • Costa, Kattyanne De Souza (Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinaria, Departamento de Patologia e Clinicas) ;
  • Santos, Sara Lima (Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinaria, Departamento de Patologia e Clinicas) ;
  • Pinheiro, Alexandre Moraes (Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinaria, Departamento de Patologia e Clinicas) ;
  • Almeida, Maria Angela Ornelas De (Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinaria, Departamento de Patologia e Clinicas) ;
  • McAllister, Milton M. (University of Illinois, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology) ;
  • Gondim, Luis Fernando Pita (Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinaria, Departamento de Patologia e Clinicas)
  • Published : 2007.12.31
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether sporulated Neospora caninum oocysts, which had been stored for 46 mo in a 2% sulfuric acid solution at $4^{\circ}C$, remain morphologically viable and infective to gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Six gerbils were orally inoculated with doses of 400 or 1,200 oocysts. Two mo after inoculation, the animals did not show any clinical signs, had no histological lesions, and were seronegative for N. caninum at 1:50 in an immunofluorescent antibody test. PCR using the brain from each gerbil did not reveal N. caninum specific DNA. We conclude that oocysts preserved for 46 mo are not infective, despite being morphologically intact.

Keywords

References

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