BACKGROUND: Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan protozoa,which causes abortion in cattle worldwide. OBJECTIVES:The present study was designed to estimate the rate oftransplacental transmission of N.caninum to aborted fetuses inseropositive dams in dairy farms in Mashhad area, Iran.METHODS: Two hundred blood samples of dam with abortedbovine fetuses were collected from dairy farms from 2008 to2010. First , the maternal sera in each aborted case were tested byusing ELISA method, and then the brain samples of abortedfetuses were examined for detecting DNA of N. caninum, usingthe PCR method. RESULTS: In this study, 38 (19%) of dams' serashowed seropositive reaction against N.caninum infection, andalso 23 (10.5%) aborted brain fetuses showed positive reactionby PCR. A significant association was observed betweenN.caninum-serapositie dams and infected aborted fetuses(p<0.0001). In the present study, 20 (86%) infected fetuses wereaborted from seropositive, and 3 (13%) of the fetuses wereaborted from seronegative dams. CONCLUSIONS: Based on theresults of molecular and serology examination, the rate oftransplacental transmission of N. caninum infection in dairycattle were calculated as 52%.

BACKGROUND:Avian intestinal spirochetosis (AIS) is causedby spiral-shaped Gram-negative Brachyspira spp. in poultry. It isknown as a cause of diarrhea, low egg production, and increasedoccurrence of dirty eggs in layer hens. OBJECTIVES: In this study,the presence of some Brachyspira spp. was investigated in layinghens. METHODS: A total of 100 cloacal swab samples wereindividually collected from 20 laying hen flocks showing fecal eggstaining in northeast of Iran. RESULTS: Using culture andmorphologic examination, 41 samples (41%) from 20 flocks werepositive; however, by using genus-specific PCR, only 37 (37%)samples were confirmed as Brachyspira spp. Using speciesspecificprimers, single colonization was identified in 18 samplesassociated with B. pilosicoli (48.6%), while single colonizationwith B. intermedia was found in only two samples (5.4%).Simultaneous colonization by B. intermedia and B. murdochii wasdetected in 3 samples (8.1%). B. pilosicoli was the most prevalentspecies in concurrent colonization in 11 cases (29.7%). Finally, cocolonizationby B. intermedia and B. innocens was identified in 3samples (8.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showedthe colonization of different species of Brachyspira withdominance of B. pilosicoli in layer hens.