Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39016150›Full record

ArticleJournal of veterinary internal medicine

A multimodal approach to diagnosis of neuromuscular neosporosis in dogs.

Vanessa Alf, Federica Tirrito, Andrea Fischer, Rodolfo Cappello, Anna-Mariam Kiviranta, Tanja A Steinberg, Federica Poli, Felix Stotz, Omar V Del Vecchio, Stefanie Dörfelt and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of veterinary internal medicine. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Microorganisms · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Vanessa AlfSection of Clinical and Comparative Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6022-2303
Federica TirritoClinica Neurologica Veterinaria NVA, Milano, Italy.
Andrea FischerSection of Neurology, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7094-1947
Rodolfo CappelloNorth Downs Specialist Referrals, Bletchingley, UK.
Anna-Mariam KivirantaDepartment of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9542-7247
Tanja A SteinbergNeurology Referral Service, AniCura Tierklinik Haar, Haar, Germany.
Federica PoliClinica Veterinaria Valdinievole, Monsummano Terme, Italy.
Felix StotzEVIDENSIA Tierarztpraxen und -kliniken Nordrhein GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Omar V Del VecchioCentro Veterinario Caleidos, Albisola Superiore, Italy.
Stefanie DörfeltNeurology Referral Service, AniCura Tierklinik Haar, Haar, Germany.
Cristian FalzoneClinica Veterinaria Pedrani Diagnostica Piccoli Animali, Zugliano, Italy.
André KnittelKlinik für Kleintiere - Chirurgie, Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany.
Shenja LoderstedtNeurologie - Klinik für Kleintiere, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Edy MercurialiInstituto Veterinario di Novara, Novara, Italy.
Joana TabanezFitzpatrick Referrals, Surrey, UK.
Paolo ZagarellaCentro Traumatologico Ortopedico Veterinario, Arenzano, Italy.
Kaspar MatiasekSection of Clinical and Comparative Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.
Marco RosatiSection of Clinical and Comparative Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1485-1610

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEarly diagnosis of neosporosis in dogs is challenging.

objectivesTo evaluate the feasibility of a compound multimodal testing approach for diagnosing in dogs neuromuscular and combined forms of neosporosis. ANIMALS: A total of 16 dogs diagnosed with solely neuromuscular neosporosis or with a combination of neuromuscular and central nervous system neosporosis.

methodsRetrospective review of clinical signs, laboratory findings, treatment, and outcome with focus on the diagnostic utility of different tests. Development of a chromogenic in situ hybridization (ISH) assay for the identification of Neospora caninum in paraffin-embedded muscle samples.

results13/16 dogs had only neuromuscular signs of neosporosis, 3/16 had disease signs with concomitant central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Serology was performed in 15/16, with 10/15 showing titers >1 : 160 at admission. PCR on muscle samples detected N. caninum DNA in 11/16. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) detected N. caninum in 9/16 and ISH in 9/16. Histopathology revealed inflammatory myopathy in 10/16, necrotizing myopathy in 5/16, borderline changes in 1/16 and tachyzoites in 9/16. In 4 cases, N. caninum infection was confirmed with all 5 diagnostic methods, 3 cases with 4, 2 with 3, 6 with 2, and 1 animal with 1. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Diagnosis of N. caninum infection should rely on a multimodal diagnostic approach and negativity of 1 single test should not allow for exclusion. Serology in combination with direct parasite identification via histopathology, DNA via PCR, or both modalities, appears a reliable diagnostic approach.

Indexed as

CoccidiosisDog DiseasesNeosporaAnimalsDogsFemaleImmunohistochemistryIn Situ HybridizationMaleMuscle, SkeletalNeuromuscular DiseasesPolymerase Chain ReactionRetrospective Studieshistopathologyimmunohistochemistryin situ hybridizationmuscle biopsyNeospora caninumPCR

Identifiers

PMID39016150
PMCPMC11423454

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.