Genetic characterization of Neospora caninum from aborted bovine fetuses in Hokkaido, Japan

This study describes, for the first time, the genetic characterization of isolates of N. caninum implicated in cattle abortions in Japan. Brains from five aborted fetuses were successfully genotyped based on multilocus microsatellite markers. Assigned genotypes showed high frequencies of mixed alleles in the sequenced markers MS7 and MS10, raising concerns about the subpopulation structures of N. caninum infecting animals in Japan. Clustering analysis of the genotypes, together with those from a previous dataset, showed that five of the six genotypes were distinct from other clusters. Meanwhile, the remaining genotype, together with the sheep isolate from Japan, was grouped with those from Mexico and Spain. These preliminary data may indicate a complex transmission pattern of N. caninum in Japan via clonal spreading by vertical and horizontal transmission and geographically related population substructuring.PMID:33819682 | DOI:10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104838
Source: Infection, Genetics and Evolution - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Source Type: research