Diagnosis of Neospora caninum in bovine fetuses by hemi-nested PCR

• Grant number: 05/00903-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2005
• End date: December 31, 2006
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Claudia Del Fava
• Grantee: Kelly Cristina Santos Montanari
• Host Institution: Instituto Biológico (IB). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Neospora caninum is a protozoan that causes abortion and infertility in cows, stillbirth and encephalites in calves. In Brazil, seroepidemiological studies indicate that this parasite is disseminated in herds around the country. There are few publications about the isolation and identification of this parasite. The diferencial diagnose of bovine foetal losses should include neosporosis. The hemi-nested PCR has a hight sensibility and specificity to detect the DNA of Neospora caninum. It will be studied the presence of Neospora caninum by hemi-nested PCR in bovine foetuses from different regions of Brazil.