African Journal of Parasitology Research

African Journal of Parasitology Research | Vol. 14, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 645–652

DOI: 10.46882/AJPR/140645

Article Type: Short Communication

Title: Seroprevalence and molecular detection of Neospora caninum in aborting dairy cattle herds in the peri-urban regions of Tunis, Tunisia

Names of Authors: Mohamed R. Ben Amor¹, Sana T. Gharbi¹, Khaled M. Boubaker²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Tunis, Tunisia. ²Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie, Tunis, Tunisia.

Abstract: Neospora caninum is a major cause of infectious abortion in dairy livestock, leading to massive financial losses worldwide. This cross-sectional study evaluated the seroprevalence and molecular occurrence of Neospora caninum among 340 aborting dairy cows in peri-urban Tunis, Tunisia. Serum samples were tested using a commercial competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA), and brain tissues from aborted foetuses (n = 48) were screened using nested PCR targeting the Nc5 genomic region. Serological analysis revealed an individual Neospora caninum seroprevalence of 28.2 percent (n = 96) among the aborting cows. At the herd level, 64.0 percent of the farms had at least one seropositive animal. Molecular tracking confirmed Neospora caninum DNA in 18.8 percent (n = 9) of the collected foetal brain samples. Multivariable logistic regression associated high seropositivity with the presence of loose guard dogs on the farm (odds ratio = 3.54, 95 percent confidence interval [1.94 to 6.45]) and pond-water drinking sources (odds ratio = 2.18, 95 percent confidence interval [1.22 to 3.88]). Packed cell volume and routine biochemistry showed no systemic maternal differences between seropositive and seronegative animals, confirming that infections remain largely subclinical until abortion occurs. These findings show that neosporosis is a major cause of reproductive failure in Tunisian dairy farms, highlighting the need for strict dog control and biosecurity measures.

Keywords: Neospora caninum, Bovine abortion, Seroprevalence, Nc5 gene, Peri-urban dairy, Tunisia

Manuscript Timeline: Received: 02 June 2026; Revised: 28 June 2026; Accepted: 22 July 2026; Published: 18 August 2026

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