Molecular and Serological Study of Neospora caninum Infection among Dogs and Foxes in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, Iran

Neospora caninum, a protozoan parasite, causes abortions in cattle, as well as neurological disorders and reproductive problems in dogs. This study aimed to investigate the serological and the molecular prevalence of N.caninum among foxes and dogs using indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For this purpose, 288 and 95 both fecal and serum samples of dogs and foxes were collected, respectively, from around industrial and traditional dairy flocks in different parts of Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, Iran, from 2013 to 2015. The sera were examined using IFAT, and fecal samples were microscopically assessed for detecting Neospora oocyst and by nested-PCR. The findings revealed that N.caninum seroprevalence were 4.86% and 4.21% in dogs and foxes, respectively. In addition, no Neospora oocysts were found microscopically and by PCR. Since this study is the first serological and molecular investigation of N.caninum among both dogs and foxes in Sanandaj,  the findings of indicated that stray dogs is a main source of N.caninum infection in dairy farms in Sanandaj, Iran.