Use of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction to rapidly differentiate Neospora caninum from Toxoplasma gondii in an adult dog with necrotizing myocarditis and myocardial infarct

Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

This report describes a 3-year-old male castrated Mastiff dog that died unexpectedly with locally extensive, acute, necrotizing myocarditis and myocardial infarction. Intralesional protozoal tachyzoites in the affected myocardium were confirmed to be Neospora caninum by a novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Protozoal organisms were not identified in other tissues by histology, immunohistochemistry, or PCR. The multiplex PCR assay was used to quickly provide preliminary results on fresh myocardium to differentiate N. caninum and Toxoplasma gondii. Neosporosis is an uncommon cause of myocarditis in adult dogs and differential diagnoses for myocarditis in this population of dogs are reviewed.