Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in Dairy Buffaloes in Lahore District, Pakistan

Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in dairy buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) was assessed in the Lahore District of Punjab Province, Pakistan. The study revealed an overall prevalence of 54.7% for N. Caninum antibodies determined through a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay performed on randomly collected serum samples. The highest prevalence was observed in buffaloes >3-5 yr of age (64.1%), followed by 57.9% for 5 to 6 yr olds, and 55.8% in 1-yr-old neonates, with high probability of infection under intensive dairy farming conditions. The pattern of prevalence was closely associated with the season as reflected by the highest prevalence (70.5%) in summer (May-August) and lowest (39.6%) in winter (November-January). Aborting buffaloes illustrated significantly higher (78.9%) exposure compared with non-aborting dams (59.8%). Prevalence in animals with canine contact was significantly higher (60.3%) than without contact (48.1%). This is the first reported prevalence of N. caninum in Pakistan.