High prevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Serum samples of 400 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from 16 pre serves in northeastern Illinois were tested for Neospora caninum? antibodie s in the N. caninum agglutination test using mouse-derived N. caninum tachy zoites and mercaptoethanol. Antibodies were found in 162 deer with titres o f 1:40 (47 deer), 1:80 (32 deer), 1:160 (17 deer), 1:200 (eight deer), 1:40 0 (19 deer), 1:800 (17 deer) and greater than or equal to 1:1600 (22 deer). There were no significant differences in prevalence between age or sex of the deer. The high prevalence of N, caninum infection in deer is consistent with a sylvatic cycle of N. caninum. 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Lt d.