Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum antibodies in beef cattle in three southern states of Mexico

The aims of the present study were to examine the seroprevalence of neosporosis in beef herds from three southern states of Mexico and determine the association with several risk factors. A cross-sectional serological survey for Neospora caninum was carried out by sampling a total of 596 animals from 31 herds in Chiapas, Veracruz, and Yucatan States and tested using an ELISA assay (IDEXX) to detect anti-N. caninum antibodies. The overall prevalence was 11.6%, (95% CI: 0.93-0.14), however, the prevalence for Chiapas was 15% (30/200) (95% CI: 0.11-0.21), in Yucatan 11.3% (21/186) (95% CI: 0.07-0.17) and in Veracruz 8.6% (18/210) (95% CI: 0.05-0.13). Of the 596 serum samples taken, 578 were from females and 18 were bulls., Only one bull sample was found seropositive from one herd in Veracruz State. The overall herd-prevalence was 70.9% (22/31) (95% CI: 0.53-0.84), and by State was: Chiapas 90% (9/10) (95% CI: 0.60-0.98); Yucatan 72.7% (8/12) (95% CI: 0.39-0.86); and Veracruz 50% (5/10) (95% CI: 0.24-0.76), respectively. The highest age-prevalences were found in animals 1 yr old (19.4% [95% CI: 0.01-0.35]) and 4 yrs old (19.6% [95% CI: 0.12-0.29]), and the lowest in animals 3 -yrs of age (6.2%,[95% CI: 0.02-0.20]). No association was found among all the variables tested in this study since most of the ranches have similar management conditions. In conclusion, N. caninum infection is common among beef herds in the Mexican tropics.