Objective: To determine whether heifers with naturally acquired congenital exposure to Neospora sp would transmit the infection to their offspring during gestation.
Design: Prospective cohort study.
Animals: Neonatal heifers on a dairy with a history of Neospora sp infections were selected for the study on the basis of their serum titers to Neospora sp, as determined by the use of indirect fluorescent antibody testing. Seropositive heifers (n = 25) had titers > or = 1:5,120 and seronegative heifers (25) had titers < or = 1:80. All heifers were raised and bred on the dairy, and samples were obtained from heifers and their calves at the time of calving.
Procedure: Blood samples were tested for Neospora sp antibodies. Histologic evaluations, Neospora sp immunohistochemical examinations, and protozoal culturing were performed on samples obtained from selected offspring (second-generation calves).
Results: Seropositive heifers gave birth to calves with titers > or = 1:1,280 to Neospora sp. All offspring from seropositive heifers that were necropsied had evidence of Neospora sp infection. All seronegative heifers and their offspring had titers < 1:80 to Neospora sp.
Clinical Implications: Congenitally acquired Neospora sp infection can persist in clinically normal heifers and be transmitted transplacentally to their offspring. Vertical transmission can be a way by which neosporosis is maintained in herds.
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Vet Parasitol
January 2025
Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, Bern 3012, Switzerland. Electronic address:
The protozoan parasite Neospora caninum is an important cause of abortion in cattle. Infection occurs horizontally by ingestion of oocysts shed by canids or vertically, from an infected dam to the foetus, and may result in abortion, stillbirth, or the birth of subclinically infected offspring. We estimated the occurrence of N.
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Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, Linnaeus Veterinary Limited, Winchester, United Kingdom.
Infectious meningoencephalitides represent an important differential diagnosis for meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) in dogs. Treatment of the latter requires immunosuppression, but laboratory test results for infectious agents may take several days to return. This study investigated whether the presence of masticatory muscle changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head can be used to distinguish dogs with neosporosis from those with MUO at the time of diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biometeorol
January 2025
Laboratorio de Zoología, Departamento de Biotecnológicas y Ambientales, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Av. Patria 1201, Zapopan, 45129, México.
In Mexico, Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are major causes of reproductive problems in sheep. Understanding the environmental factors that influence the spread of these parasites is crucial for developing effective control strategies. The objective of this study was to identify the environmental factors associated with N.
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Dpto. Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
Knowledge of pathogen epidemiological dynamics and habitat ecological features is essential for wildlife population and health monitoring and management. Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are two broadly distributed multi-host parasites that affect both wild and domestic animals and, in the case of T. gondii, cause zoonosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVet Med Sci
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Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
Background: Neospora caninum (Apicomplexa, Sarcocystidae) is a protozoan parasite regarded as a major cause of reproductive failure in cattle. Swine are susceptible to N. caninum infection; however, the role of these animals in the circulation, maintenance, and transmission of N.
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