Prevalence of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Bulk Milk of Dairy Cattle, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

<em>Neospora caninum </em>(<em>N. caninum</em>) and <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> (<em>T. gondii</em>) are both obligate intracellular protozoan parasites, which have gained considerable attention because of their role in bovine abortion. This study aimed to detect anti-<em>N. caninum</em> and -<em>T. gondii</em> in bulk milk of dairy cattle, Mashhad, Iran. The bulk milk samples were collected from July 2014 to June 2015 and analyzed for anti-<em>N. caninum</em> and -<em>T.gondii</em> antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Out of 123 bulk milk samples, 44 (35%), 14 (11.38%), and 3 (2.4%) samples had <em>N. caninum</em>, <em>T. gondii</em>, and mixed infection with these two parasites, respectively. According to the results, the prevalence of <em>N. caninum</em> infection was more than <em>T.gondii</em> infection in dairy cattle of Mashhad, Iran.