Neospora caninum infection is an important disease affecting bovine and canine populations worldwide. The dense granule antigen 7 of N. caninum (NcGRA7) is considered to be an immunodominant antigen. In the present study, the gene encoding truncated NcGRA7 (NcGRA7t) lacking an N-terminal signal peptide was expressed in Escherichia coli, and its diagnostic potential in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was evaluated. The ELISA could clearly discriminate between known N. caninum-positive and -negative sera from dogs. Serum samples randomly collected from dogs in Japan and China were examined for the diagnosis of neosporosis using the ELISA. Twenty-three of 135 samples (17.03%) and 9 of 95 (9.47%) samples from Japan and China, respectively, were positive for antibodies to N. caninum. Of the 32 ELISA-positive samples, 29 (90.62%) were confirmed as positive by Western blot analysis with whole tachyzoite antigens. These results indicate that the recombinant NcGRA7t would be a reliable antigen in ELISA for the diagnosis of canine neosporosis.

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The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of intestinal coccidia upon the white cell count and differential leukocyte count of the infected rabbits. Two groups of rabbits were infected with various doses of intestinal coccidia oocysts. The first group (A) was infected with 2 x 10⁵, and the second (B) with 4 x 10⁵ of sporulated oocysts. The inoculum was composed of oocysts of the following intestinal coccidia: Eimeria flavescens (7%), E. matsubayashii (9%), E. magna (12%), E. neoleporis (19%), E. perforans (21%) and E. media (32%). The infective mix was dominated by moderately pathogenic species causing a mild form of intestinal coccidiosis in the rabbits. The third group (C) served as the control (uninfected rabbits). Immediately before the infection, on days 4, 7 and 10 post infection, the rabbits were bled and white cell count, blood smears and differential blood cell count were done. We found that in this form of intestinal coccidiosis, the number of white cells was increased. The number of monocytes was risen significantly only on day 10. Lymphocyte count decreased whereas the number of eosinophiles remained unchanged despite the fact that coccidiosis is a parasitic disease.

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The present study was aimed to examine whether a 50-Hz electric field (EF) affects biological stress responses. Male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to either 50-Hz EF (45 kV/m) or given a sham exposure for 30 minutes per day for 1, 2 or 4 weeks and then either mock inoculated or inoculated with the protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) PLK strain. Survival rate was calculated in mice infected with T. gondii after exposure to EF and the serum antibody levels to heat shock protein 60 (Hsp-60), and mRNA levels for Hsp-60, IFN-γ and IL-12p35 in mouse peripheral leucocytes were determined. As a result, no statistically significant difference was found in survival rate between mice exposed to EF and those in the sham exposure group. When mice were inoculated with T. gondii, plasma level of anti-Hsp-60 antibody increased gradually until day 16 after inoculation and remained at an elevated value until the end of the experimental period. On day 2 and 9 after inoculation, the increment in anti-Hsp-60 antibody level was significantly suppressed in mice exposed to EF as compared to those in the sham exposure group (p<0.05). Differences in changes in mRNA levels in Hsp-60, IFN- γ and IL-12p35 were not statistically significant. Taken together, our findings indicate that exposure to 50-Hz EF does not affect viability of mice infected with T. gondii but seems to slightly play inhibitory on the early phase of stress responses.

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The current study was conducted to find out the epidemiological status of toxoplasmosis in cats, dogs and human population in Lahore city of Pakistan and to determine the possibility of transmission of toxoplasmosis from cats and dogs to their owners. Overall 56% cats were seropositive for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. Stray cats had the high prevalence (64%) followed by domestic cats (48%). The highest prevalence (71%) was detected in cat in the 7 year or above age group. The seropositivity percentage of toxoplasmosis was highest in local breeds of the cats (64%). Overall 39% dogs were seropositive for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. Stray dogs had the high prevalence (50%) than the domestic dogs (28%). The highest prevalence of toxoplasmosis (45.9%) was recorded in dogs of age group of >1-3 years. Dogs having access to house as well as yard has the highest prevalence (40%). Overall 22% human were seropositive for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. The highest seropositivity was observed in cat owners (32%) followed by dog owners (26%), UVAS employees (20%), and the lowest seropositivity (14%) was observed in people having no contact with dogs and cats. There was decrease in haemoglobin level of cats, dogs and human positive for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies.

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