Seroprevalence of anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in dogs from Cuiaba city, Mato Grosso State

Abstract

The present study evaluated the prevalence of anti- Neospora caninum antibodies in 406 dogs from Cuiabá city, Mato Grosso State by means Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA) with cut-off at the initial dilution of 1:50. Twenty seven dogs were positive (6.6%, 95% CI%: 4.6-9.6%) with titers of antibodies ranging between 50 and 1600. According to the breed, Pit Bull dogs were the most frequent where 4 dogs (16.7%) were positive (P=0.06). There was no difference between positivity and age of dogs. From the positive dogs, 10 were females (5.6%) and 17 were males (7.5%), 7 dogs (9.0%) fed commercial ration and 20 (6.1%) homemade food (P > 0.05). Environmental variables showed that 15 positive dogs (7.5%) had access to the street, 21 positive dogs (7.5%) lived near to the wasteland, 20 (6.2%) lived in walled house and 20 (6.8%) had contact with rodents in house backyard. None of environmental variables had significant associations (P < 0.05). The results of the present study demonstrate a low prevalence of anti-N. caninum antibodies in canine population from Cuiabá city and the analyzed variable did not presented association for infection. The study noteworthy the lower prevalence of anti-N. caninum antibodies in urban area from Brazil.