Investigation of neospora caninum infection in dogs in aydin province

In the present study the aim was to investigate Neospora caninum infection in farm, stray and household dogs residing in Aydın. In the study in general a total of 120 dogs were enrolled. Among those animals 36 of them were farm dogs, 55 stray and 29 household dogs, repectively. For the detection of anti- N. caninum antibodies belonging to each invidual sera samples of each animals, commercially available test kits were used within indirect fleurosance antibody test (IFAT). Among 120 dogs enrolled for investigating N. caninum.54 (45%) were detected as seropositive. Among seropozitive dogs 22 (22/36, 61,1%) were reciding in cattle farm, 29 (29/55, 52,7%) in street and 3 (3/29, 10,3%) in house conditions. N. caninum seroprevalance evaluated in farm and stray dogs were detected to have statistical significance (p<0,001) in contrast to household dogs. In farm dogs N. caninum seropositivity was significantly lowered in dogs under 1 year of age whereas significantly increased (p<0,01) in dogs older than 5 years of age. Among 29 household dogs, the seroprevalance of N. caninum infection detected in 3 (10,3%) of them was statisticaly significant (p<0,001). In the present study although both N. caninum and Toxoplasma gondii were detected by use of IFA test in 17 out of 120 dogs (14,2%), there was no corelation among those two parasites. In conclusion according to the data evaluated we sought that N. caninum infected dogs residing on farm and street in Aydın city should be a risk factor for cattle abortions related to N. caninum infection.