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High seroprevalance of Neospora caninum in dogs in Victoria, Australia, compared to 20 years ago

Overview of attention for article published in Parasites & Vectors, October 2017
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Title
High seroprevalance of Neospora caninum in dogs in Victoria, Australia, compared to 20 years ago
Published in
Parasites & Vectors, October 2017
DOI 10.1186/s13071-017-2464-2
Pubmed ID
Authors

Sarah Sloan, Jan Šlapeta, Abdul Jabbar, Jaimie Hunnam, Bert De Groef, Grant Rawlin, Christina McCowan

Abstract

Canids are definitive hosts of the apicomplexan parasite Neospora caninum, the leading cause of abortion in cattle worldwide. For horizontal transmission from canids to occur, oocysts of N. caninum must be shed by the definitive host into the environment of susceptible intermediate hosts such as cattle. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of N. caninum in canids in Victoria, Australia's leading dairy producing state. Neospora-like oocysts were observed in 8% (18/234) of faecal samples from wild dogs, domestic dogs and red foxes from Victoria, Australia. However, none tested positive for N. caninum DNA using a quantitative PCR. In a separate sample population, blood sera from 483 domestic dogs were tested for anti-N. caninum antibodies using competitive ELISA. A subset of cELISA samples were re-tested using indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT). A seroprevalence of 29.8% (144/483; 95% CI: 11.7-47.8%) was calculated when using cELISA; whereas it was 32.9% (27/80; 95% CI: 15.8-51.8%) using IFAT. Potential risk factors were evaluated using univariable analyses and then assessed in separate multivariable models. Using 'aged' dogs as a reference, the seroprevalence of 'adolescent' and 'adult' dogs was 88% (P = 0.05) and 91% (P = 0.08), respectively, indicating seroprevalence increases with age. There was a 19% higher likelihood of infection in rural locations (P = 0.10) relative to urban areas. Jack Russell Terriers had a 22% higher risk of a cELISA-positive result (P = 0.05) regardless of geographical location, age or sex. These results demonstrate that exposure to N. caninum in domestic dogs is widespread in Victoria, although faecal oocyst shedding is infrequent. Our results indicate increased N. caninum seroprevalance status in dogs over the past two decades. The results imply that dogs get either exposed to the infected meat more frequently or that vertical dam to foetus transmission is more frequent than previously thought. Our study calls for re-evaluation of historical N. caninum seroprevalance studies, because the attitude to dog diet changes.

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 49 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 49 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Ph. D. Student 7 14%
Student > Master 6 12%
Student > Doctoral Student 5 10%
Student > Bachelor 4 8%
Professor 3 6%
Other 9 18%
Unknown 15 31%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine 15 31%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 4 8%
Medicine and Dentistry 3 6%
Environmental Science 2 4%
Nursing and Health Professions 1 2%
Other 2 4%
Unknown 22 45%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 20 October 2017.
All research outputs
#18,574,814
of 23,006,268 outputs
Outputs from Parasites & Vectors
#4,262
of 5,502 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#250,788
of 327,202 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Parasites & Vectors
#123
of 168 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 23,006,268 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 11th percentile – i.e., 11% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 5,502 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.7. This one is in the 11th percentile – i.e., 11% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 327,202 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one is in the 12th percentile – i.e., 12% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
We're also able to compare this research output to 168 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 14th percentile – i.e., 14% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.