Rapid Neospora caninum test FASTest® NEOSPORA

for infectious diseasesveterinaryserum

FASTest® NEOSPORA caninum is a rapid immunochromatographic test for the qualitative detection of antibodies against Neospora caninum in whole blood, plasma or serum of the dog, cattle and deer. Neospora caninum plays an important epidemiological role in dogs and cattle. The dog (esp. watch dogs, stray dogs) is a definitive host (intestinal neosporosis) and excretes infectious oocysts with the feces. The intermediate host, especially cattle, but also goats, sheep and horse, gets infected via grazing land and/or water contaminated with oocysts (horizontal direct/exogeneous infection) and/or intrauterine via already infected mothers (vertical indirect/endogeneous infection). For humans, there is no zoonotic risk at all. N. caninum plays an important role in abortion in cattle world-wide. Characteristics are accumulating abortions in all states of gestation, dead births and weak calves. The dog can act as an intermediate host (endogeneous-diaplacental transmission onto the fetus) as well and therefore can fall sick with neosporosis (systemic neosporosis). In dogs, the symptoms are especially focused on neurological disorders: paresis / paralysis of the hind-limbs, later also of the fore-limbs, as well as polymyelitis, radiculitis and encephalomyelitis. Also, muscular atrophy, hyperextension, hyperaesthesia and dysphagia can occur. Additionally, hepatitis, pneumonitis, myocarditis and ulcerative dermatitis can appear. In older dogs Neospora infection usually is asymptomatic! Puppies become clinically conspicuous at the age from 3 to 9 weeks up to one year. Early diagnostics and therefore specific therapy are essential for the prognosis.