Survey of Neospora caninum in eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) in Southern Brazil

Neosporosis is an infectious disease caused by Neospora caninum, a protozoan parasite that has worldwide distribution and is responsible for enormous economic losses in cattle. Birds are considered a good bioindicator of environmental contamination, since they feed on the ground, being exposed to N. caninum oocysts. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of antibodies against N. caninum and to verify the presence of parasite DNA in brain from free -ranging eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) from Southern Brazil. For this purpose, blood and brain samples were collected from 249 doves for ELISA and PCR analysis respectively. The prevalence of N. caninum antibodies in doves was 31.72% (79/249) and detection of parasite DNA was not observed in none of birds. This is the first report of antibodies against N. caninum in doves Z. auriculata, what show us that these birds had previously contact with the parasite but since no N. caninum DNA was detected, more studies should be performed to elucidate the real importance of doves in the epidemiologic cycle of the N. caninum.