Mara Badan

Bio: Mara Badan is an academic researcher from University of Padua. The author has contributed to research in topics: Dairy cattle & Seroprevalence. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 93 citations.

Epidemiology and Control of Neosporosis and Neospora caninum

Abstract: Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite of animals. Until 1988, it was misidentified as Toxoplasma gondii. Since its first recognition in dogs in 1984 and the description of the new genus and species Neospora caninum in 1988, neosporosis has emerged as a serious disease of cattle and dogs worldwide. Abortions and neonatal mortality are a major problem in livestock operations, and neosporosis is a major cause of abortion in cattle. Although antibodies to N. caninum have been reported, the parasite has not been detected in human tissues. Thus, the zoonotic potential is uncertain. This review is focused mainly on the epidemiology and control of neosporosis in cattle, but worldwide seroprevalences of N. caninum in animals and humans are tabulated. The role of wildlife in the life cycle of N. caninum and strategies for the control of neosporosis in cattle are discussed.

A review of neosporosis and pathologic findings of Neospora caninum infection in wildlife.

Abstract: Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan parasite that is the etiologic agent of neosporosis, a devastating infectious disease regarded as a major cause of reproductive loss in cattle and neuromuscular disease in dogs worldwide This protozoan pathogen is maintained in the environment by a heteroxenous life cycle that involves a definitive canid host and a wide range of intermediate hosts In recent years, a number of wildlife species have been investigated for their possible involvement in the N caninum life cycle and many have been implicated as intermediate hosts However, in many instances these studies have utilized serological and molecular techniques to detect infection in clinically normal animals, and investigation of possible associated morbidity, mortality, and pathology has been neglected As such, the occurrence and importance of Neospora-associated disease in wildlife species are unknown In order to improve our understanding of the significance of N caninum infection in nondomestic species, the present review provides an up-to-date summary of clinical neosporosis and N caninum-associated pathologic lesions in naturally and experimentally infected wildlife species We provide a list of all free-ranging and captive wildlife species identified with N caninum infection to date using currently available diagnostic tools The advantages and disadvantages of diagnostic methods in wildlife are addressed in order to recommend optimal diagnosis of confirming N caninum infection and neosporosis in nondomestic species Although current data would suggest that N caninum infection does not adversely impact wildlife populations, there is a need for greater international uniformity in the diagnosis of N caninum infection and neosporosis in nondomestic species in order to assess the true consequences of parasite infection