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Alf V, Tirrito F, Fischer A, Cappello R, Kiviranta AM, Steinberg TA, Poli F, Stotz F, Del Vecchio OV, Dörfelt S, Falzone C, Knittel A, Loderstedt S, Mercuriali E, Tabanez J, Zagarella P, Matiasek K, Rosati M. A multimodal approach to diagnosis of neuromuscular neosporosis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med 2024. [PMID: 39016150 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.17145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early diagnosis of neosporosis in dogs is challenging. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the feasibility of a compound multimodal testing approach for diagnosing in dogs neuromuscular and combined forms of neosporosis. ANIMALS A total of 16 dogs diagnosed with solely neuromuscular neosporosis or with a combination of neuromuscular and central nervous system neosporosis. METHODS Retrospective review of clinical signs, laboratory findings, treatment, and outcome with focus on the diagnostic utility of different tests. Development of a chromogenic in situ hybridization (ISH) assay for the identification of Neospora caninum in paraffin-embedded muscle samples. RESULTS 13/16 dogs had only neuromuscular signs of neosporosis, 3/16 had disease signs with concomitant central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Serology was performed in 15/16, with 10/15 showing titers >1 : 160 at admission. PCR on muscle samples detected N. caninum DNA in 11/16. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) detected N. caninum in 9/16 and ISH in 9/16. Histopathology revealed inflammatory myopathy in 10/16, necrotizing myopathy in 5/16, borderline changes in 1/16 and tachyzoites in 9/16. In 4 cases, N. caninum infection was confirmed with all 5 diagnostic methods, 3 cases with 4, 2 with 3, 6 with 2, and 1 animal with 1. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Diagnosis of N. caninum infection should rely on a multimodal diagnostic approach and negativity of 1 single test should not allow for exclusion. Serology in combination with direct parasite identification via histopathology, DNA via PCR, or both modalities, appears a reliable diagnostic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Alf
- Section of Clinical and Comparative Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Federica Tirrito
- Clinica Neurologica Veterinaria NVA, Milano, Italy
- AniCura Istituto Veterinario di Novara, Novara, Italy
| | - Andrea Fischer
- Section of Neurology, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Anna-Mariam Kiviranta
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Federica Poli
- Clinica Veterinaria Valdinievole, Monsummano Terme, Italy
| | - Felix Stotz
- EVIDENSIA Tierarztpraxen und -kliniken Nordrhein GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Stefanie Dörfelt
- Neurology Referral Service, AniCura Tierklinik Haar, Haar, Germany
| | - Cristian Falzone
- Clinica Veterinaria Pedrani Diagnostica Piccoli Animali, Zugliano, Italy
| | - André Knittel
- Klinik für Kleintiere - Chirurgie, Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Shenja Loderstedt
- Neurologie - Klinik für Kleintiere, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | - Paolo Zagarella
- Centro Traumatologico Ortopedico Veterinario, Arenzano, Italy
| | - Kaspar Matiasek
- Section of Clinical and Comparative Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Marco Rosati
- Section of Clinical and Comparative Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
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A probe-based real-time PCR assay for the detection of Neospora caninum in clinical samples from cattle. Vet Parasitol 2019; 269:2-6. [PMID: 31079823 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan protozoan parasite that is a leading cause of abortion in cattle. Detection of parasite-specific DNA by PCR is a highly sensitive method for identifying the presence of N. caninum in a variety of tissues. We developed and validated a probe-based real-time PCR assay targeting the conserved Nc5 gene of N. caninum. Using N. caninum strain Nc-1 genomic DNA and a synthetic gene fragment as amplification standards, we determined the PCR amplification efficiency and the limit of detection to be 95.60% and 3 copies, respectively. Five pathogens frequently associated with bovine abortions, namely bovine viral diarrhea virus types I and II, bovine alphaherpesvirus-1, Chlamydia, and Leptospira, were tested to ensure analytical exclusivity. A total of 103 clinical samples from aborted fetuses were tested concurrently with a standard conventional PCR and the new probe-based real-time PCR assay. All tested samples showed 100% agreement between these two assays. In conclusion, the probe-based real-time PCR assay facilitates accurate and rapid detection of N. caninum from abortions in cattle.
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