Detection of Neospora caninum in tissue sections using a murine monoclonal antibody

A murine monoclonal antibody (MAb 6G7), isotype IgG2a, produced against tachyzoites of Neospora caninum (isolate NC-1) reacted specifically with tachyzoites of N. caninum in an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. MAb 6G7 did not react with tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii, sporozoites of Isospora suis, Eimeria bovis, or E. tenella, or merozoites of E. bovis in the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. MAb 6G7 reacted positively with both tachyzoites and bradyzoites of N. caninum in an avidin-biotin peroxidase complex immunohistochemical test on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. No reaction was observed with the following: tachyzoites and bradyzoites of T. gondii, T. gondii-like parasites, or Hammondia hammondi; bradyzoites of Frenkelia microti; schizonts and merozoites of Sarcocystis-like organisms; schizonts, sarcocysts, and oocysts/sporocysts of S. cruzi; schizonts and merozoites of S. canis; schizonts of S. hirsuta, S. tenella, and S. capracanis; merozoites of S. neurona and S. neurona-like organisms, E. bovis, or Haemoproteus sp.; bradyzoites and merozoites of S. montanaensis; bradyzoites of S. odocoileocanis, S. cruzi, and S. tenella; meronts, sexual stages, and caryocysts of Caryospora sp. and C. bigenetica; micromerozoites, macromerozoites, and schizonts of Hepatozoon canis; sporozoites, sexual stages, and oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum and C. baileyi; trophozoites of Monocystis lumbrici, Tritrichomonas foetus, and Balantidium coli; tissue cysts and bradyzoites of Besnoitia sp. and B. jellisoni; amastigotes of Leishmania sp.; and trophic theronts of Ichthyopthirius multifilis. MAb 6G7 reacted with tachyzoites and bradyzoites of N. caninum in natural and experimental infections in dogs, cattle, mice, rats, sheep, and goats, indicating that host origin of the tissues did not affect the performance of the test.