Risk factors for Neospora caninum infection in dairy cattle and their possible cause-effect relation for disease

- Neospora caninum causes economic losses in cattle.
- The N. caninum is highly prevalent in dairy cattle in Santa Catarina state, i.e. 30.9% of positives.
- Neosporosis has a cause-effect relationship with occurrence of reproductive problems.
- Positive cows are 25% more likely of showing reproductive problems, such as abortion, metritis and neonatal mortality.
- The presence of dogs in the farm is main risk factors to the maintenance of the disease in dairy cattle.

Neospora caninum causes reproductive problems in cattle such as abortion, premature birth, retention of fetal membranes, and metritis. Therefore, this study aimed to verify possible risk factors for N. caninum infection in dairy cattle and their cause-effect relation to neosporosis. Serum samples of 1518 dairy cows from the West of Santa Catarina State, Southern Brazil were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for N. caninum, where 466 were found to be positives (30.69%-CI95%; 28.3-33.0). In addition, an epidemiological survey was conducted in order to verify possible risk factors for neosporosis and their relation to the disease. The presence of dogs in the farm was strongly associated with IFA positive results for N. caninum, and lack of history for neosporosis in the farm increased the chances of positivity in 66%. It was found a significant cause-effect relation between the occurrence of reproductive problems and the presence of antibodies against N. caninum (p = 0.05). It is possible to conclude that N. caninum is widely distributed in dairy farms of the Western part of Santa Catarina state, Brazil, and that the occurrence of reproductive problems is directly related to the disease with the presence of dogs as a risk factor for N. caninum infection.

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