Evaluation of two Neospora caninum recombinant antigens for use in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the diagnosis of bovine neosporosis.

Neospora caninum is a recently described apicomplexan parasite which causes paralysis and death in dogs. Neospora parasites also cause abortion and neonatal morbidity in cattle, sheep, goats, and horses, and neosporosis is emerging as an important cause of bovine abortion worldwide. The purpose of this study was to identify N. caninum cDNA clones encoding antigens that would be useful for the immunodiagnosis of bovine neosporosis. Two N. caninum tachyzoite cDNA clones expressing antigens that were recognized by serum from naturally and experimentally infected cattle were identified. The DNA sequences of these clones were determined, and the inserts were subcloned into the plasmid expression vector pTrcHisB. Both recombinant antigens, expressed as fusion proteins with a His6 tag, were purified on a nickel-chelating affinity column and evaluated in separate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Both recombinant antigen ELISAs were capable of distinguishing between sera from Neospora-infected cows and sera from uninfected control cows. Furthermore, both assays were able to detect an antibody response in animals that were experimentally inoculated with N. caninum. Neither antigen showed evidence of cross-reactivity with serum from animals inoculated with the closely related parasites Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis cruzi, Sarcocystis hominis, and Sarcocystis hirsuta.