Serological and Molecular Detection of Neospora Caninum in Goats in Baghdad City

Abstract

Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite and it has a wide range of hosts, domestic and wild ruminant species. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of Neospora caninum in local goats using Indirect ELISA and Nested PCR during the period from December / 2020 until April /2021 at Baghdad city using one hundred and nineteen blood samples and one hundred tissue samples (Brain, esophagus, diaphragm and heart) twenty five for each one. The total infection rate by ELISA was 5.04% (6 ̸ 119). Higher infection rate was recorded in females [7.69% (3 ̸39)], while lower infection rate was found in males [3.75% (3 ̸ 80)] with significant difference (P≤0.01). Also, higher infection rate was recorded at an age group more than [12 20.00% (2 ̸ 10)], while no infection rate (0.00%) was recorded in the age group less than 6 months with significant (P≤0.01) difference. Different infection rates were recorded in different Baghdad areas with significant (P≤0.01) difference; while the total infection rate by Nested PCR was 8% (8 ̸ 100) and brain had a high infection rate (20%) than other organs (heart, esophagus and diaphragm) which showed the same infection rate (4%) with significant (P≤0.01) difference. The sequence of ITS1 gene of N. caninum local isolates was submitted in Genbank under the accession numbers MZ725531, MZ725532, MZ725533, MZ725534, and MZ725535 and their compatibility with other global isolates between 99-100%.