Isolation of Neospora caninum from the brain of a naturally infected dog, and production of encysted bradyzoites in gerbils

Neospora caninum was isolated from the brain of an adult dog in Brazil. Cer ebral tissue from the dog was inoculated into Mongolian gerbils. Gerbils we re euthanized 3-4 months later and bradyzoite-containing tissue cysts were observed in their brains. N. caninum (designated NC-Bahia) was isolated in cell culture after inoculation with tissue cysts from the gerbils. The iden tity of the parasite was confirmed by immunohistochemical examination and p olymerase chain reaction (PCR). Gerbils may be a useful alternative to immu nosuppressed mice for isolation of N. caninum and for production of encyste d bradyzoites. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.