Seroprevalence and risk factors associated to Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii infections in hunting dogs from southern Italy

Blood samples were collected from 398 hunting dogs of 19 different breeds. The sera were screened by indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT); a titre ≥ 50 was considered positive. Antibodies to N. caninum and T. gondii were detected in 14.8% and 23.6% of dogs respectively, with co-infection in 6.3% of tested animals. The old age (p = ≤ 0.05; OR = 2.65) represented a risk factor for T. gondii infection. None tested variables represented a risk factor for N. caninum infection. Our results showed that hunting dogs in Southern Italy could be considered to be in risk for both protozoa infections