Frequence of antibodies for Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in cattle, São Paulo and Minas Gerais States

Abstract

600 samples of bovine sera, taken from cows from four counties in the São Paulo State and from two counties in the Minas Gerais State, Brazil, were tested using an immunofluorescent antibody technique (RIFI-IgG) for the presence of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. A total of 101 (16,83%) of the tested samples were reactive to N. caninum, while 295 (49,17%) of the samples were reactive to T. gondii. 54 (9,00%) of the animals tested showed detectable antibody levels for both coccidia. Cows with serum that reacted positively to both these protozoon parasites were seen in all counties assessed. Statistical differences (P < 0,05) between counties were observed when comparing the results of the sera evaluation. It can be concluded from the obtained results that the protozoan parasites N. caninum and T. gondii are largely widespread in cattle from the assessed counties in Brazil and that the simultaneous occurrence of antibodies for both parasites can be relatively high (9,00%) in bovine hosts in the studied geographical region.