Neospora caninum in crows from Israel

•Simultaneous serology and PCR of brains showed 16.4% of 183 crows seropositive and 2 PCR positive crows infected with Neospora caninum.•When the modified agglutination test (MAT) was compared with the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) there was 100% agreeability in the two tests.•This is the first description of N. caninum molecular detection in two widely spread crow species, C. cornix and C. monedula. A cross-sectional Neospora caninum seroprevalence study was performed on free ranging crows (Corvus cornix, Corvus monedula and Corvus splendens) from Israel in order to assess their exposure to this pathogen and evaluate their role as potential hosts or as sentinels of infection. Using the modified agglutination test (MAT) with a cutoff titer of 1:100, 30 out of 183 crows (16.4%) were found to be N. caninum seropositive. Positive results were validated and confirmed by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). There was 100% agreement between tests when cut-off titers of 1:50 and 1:100 were applied for the IFAT and MAT, respectively. PCR analysis of brain extracts from all crows resulted in the detection of N. caninum DNA for the first time in crows belonging to two species, C. cornix and C. monedula. The high N. caninum seroprevalence in crows suggests that widespread exposure to infection with N. caninum exists especially in central and northern Israel and that crows may act as suitable markers for disease prevalence in the areas in which they are found.