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Characterization of the first European isolate of Neospora caninum (Dubey, Carpenter, Speer, Topper and Uggla)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

J. S. Barber
Affiliation:
Veterinary Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
O. J. M. Holmdahl
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, National Veterinary Institute and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7073, S-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
M. R. Owen
Affiliation:
Veterinary Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
F. Guy
Affiliation:
Veterinary Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
A. Uggla
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, National Veterinary Institute and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7073, S-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
A. J. Trees
Affiliation:
Veterinary Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK

Summary

Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan, protozoan parasite, which causes severe disease in dogs and cattle. It has previously been isolated only in the United States. A 5-week-old Boxer pup with a progressive hindlimb paresis was diagnosed as suffering from neosporosis on the basis of clinical signs and the presence of anti-Neospora antibodies in it, 2 litter-mates and its darn. Despite treatment with sulphonamides, the pup was euthanased 3 days later. The diagnosis of neosporosis was confirmed by immunohistochemical examination of muscle and CNS tissue sections from the pup. Parasites were isolated into Vero cell culture from the cerebrum, and confirmed as Neospora caninum by immunofluorescence with specific antibody, tachyzoite ultrastructure and 16S-like ribosomal RNA sequences. This isolate (designated NC-Liverpool) has been continuously passaged every 7–10 days. Its growth characteristics, ultrastructure and antigenic profile, as revealed by immunoblotting, have revealed no major differences from the American NC-1 isolate. Furthermore, no difference was seen when comparing the sequences of 16S-like ribosomal RNA and the ITS1 region of the two isolates.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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