Effects of a transferring antibody against Neospora caninum infection in a murine model.

We investigated the roles of a transferring antibody against Neospora caninum infection based on a murine model using recombinant vaccinia virus carrying NcSRS2 gene. Higher levels of anti-NcSRS2 antibody were detected in surviving offspring from vaccinated dams than controls while the transferring anti-NcSAG1 antibody was detected in the surviving offspring from unvaccinated dams. After mating, the female mice with transferring antibody against N. caninum were challenged with the parasites in mid-gestation. The transferring antibodies disappeared during pregnancy upon parasite infection. There was no significant difference on the parasite burden in dams and the survival rates of their offspring. Here, we have shown that N. caninum-specific transferring antibody does not control parasite infection in mice.