Dogs are definitive hosts of Neospora caninum.
TL;DR: Dogs are a definitive host of Neospora caninum, and mice inoculated with canine faecal extracts were monitored for evidence of neosporosis using a variety of morphologic, immunohistologic, serologic, and genetic analyses.
About: This article is published in International Journal for Parasitology.The article was published on 1998-09-01. It has received 1069 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Neospora caninum & Neospora.
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TL;DR: 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.
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.
977 citations
TL;DR: Information on biology, diagnosis, epidemiology and control of neosporosis in animals, a major cause of abortion in cattle in many countries, is reviewed.
Abstract: Neospora caninum is a coccidian parasite of animals. It is a major pathogen for cattle and dogs and it occasionally causes clinical infections in horses, goats, sheep, and deer. Domestic dogs are the only known definitive hosts for N. caninum. It is one of the most efficiently transmitted parasite of cattle and up to 90% of cattle in some herds are infected. Transplacental transmission is considered the major route of transmission of N. caninum in cattle. Neospora caninum is a major cause of abortion in cattle in many countries. To elicit protective immunity against abortion in cows that already harbor a latent infection is a major problem. This paper reviews information on biology, diagnosis, epidemiology and control of neosporosis in animals.
770 citations
TL;DR: A large number of pathogens that are directly or indirectly transmitted by rodents are described and a simplified rodent disease model is discussed.
Abstract: Rodents are the most abundant and diversified order of living mammals in the world. Already since the Middle Ages we know that they can contribute to human disease, as black rats were associated with distribution of plague. However, also in modern times rodents form a threat for public health. In this review article a large number of pathogens that are directly or indirectly transmitted by rodents are described. Moreover, a simplified rodent disease model is discussed.
757 citations
Cites background from "Dogs are definitive hosts of Neospo..."
...These canids then form the definitive hosts, as was proven during a study in dogs (McAllister et al. 1998)....
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TL;DR: This review is focused on current status of neosporosis in animals based on papers published in the last five years and strategies for control and prevention are discussed.
559 citations
Cites background from "Dogs are definitive hosts of Neospo..."
...Definitive hosts and transmission by oocysts Experimental studies showed that the domestic dog nd the Australian dingo (both Canis domesticus), and the coyote (Canis latrans) are definitive hosts for N. caninum (McAllister et al., 1998; Gondim et al., 2004; King et al., 2010)....
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01 Jan 2004
TL;DR: In this article, four captive-raised coyote pups consumed tissues from Neospora caninum-infected calves and shed Oocysts, which tested positive for N.caninum and negative for Hammondia heydorni using PCR tests.
Abstract: Four captive-raised coyote pups consumed tissues from Neospora caninum-infected calves. Faeces were examined from 4 days before to 28 days after infection. One pup shed N. caninum-like oocysts, which tested positive for N. caninum and negative for Hammondia heydorni using PCR tests. Coyotes are the second discovered definitive host of N. caninum, after dogs. In North America, the expanding coyote ranges and population increase the probability of contact with domestic livestock. To reduce the risk of transmission of N. caninum to intensively farmed cattle, we recommend protection of feedstuffs using canid-proof fences, and careful disposal of dead stock.
523 citations
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TL;DR: A newly identified parasite, Neospora caninum, structurally distinct from T gondii, was found in 10 dogs and formed meronts in many tissues of the dogs, especially the brain and spinal cord.
Abstract: Histologic sections and case histories from 23 dogs with proven fatal toxoplasmosis-like illness at the Angell Memorial Animal Hospital were reviewed. Toxoplasma gondii was identified in 13 dogs. A newly identified parasite, Neospora caninum, structurally distinct from T gondii, was found in 10 dogs. The newly discovered organism, belonging to a new genus and new species, formed meronts in many tissues of the dogs, especially the brain and spinal cord. Neospora caninum was located directly in the host cell cytoplasm without a parasitophorous vacuole; it divided by endodyogeny, contained more than 11 rhoptries, and did not react with the anti-T gondii serum in the immunoperoxidase test. Meningoencephalomyelitis and myositis were the main lesions associated with N caninum. Ulcerative and fistulous dermatitis was the major lesion in 1 dog.
787 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Neospora caninum infection was diagnosed in 5 young dogs from 2 litters with a common parentage that developed hind limb paresis 5 to 8 weeks after birth and was isolated in cell cultures, mice, and dogs inoculated with infected canine tissues.
Abstract: Neospora caninum infection was diagnosed in 5 young dogs from 2 litters with a common parentage. The pups were born healthy, but developed hind limb paresis 5 to 8 weeks after birth. The predominant lesions were polyradiculoneuritis and granulomatous polymyositis. Neospora caninum was seen microscopically in sections of naturally infected pups, and was isolated in cell cultures, mice, and dogs inoculated with infected canine tissues. Antibodies to N caninum were detected in sera of infected dogs by indirect fluorescent antibody test.
664 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: An avidin-biotin-peroxid enzyme complex immunoperoxidase staining method was developed to detect Neospora caninum in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections and detected tachyzoites and bradyzoites of N caninu.
Abstract: An avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex immunoperoxidase staining method was developed to detect Neospora caninum in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Specific antiserum to N caninum was made in rabbits and used to probe tissues from dogs naturally and experimentally infected with N caninum. The test detected tachyzoites and bradyzoites of N caninum. A reaction was not observed to Toxoplasma gondii, Hammondia hammondi, Sarcocystis cruzi, S capricanis, S tenella, Besnoitia jellisoni, Caryospora bigenetica, Hepatazoon canis, Atoxoplasma sp, or the organism causing canine dermal coccidiosis. When antiserum made in rabbits to T gondii was used in the test, reaction to N caninum was not observed.
384 citations
TL;DR: To investigate if this immunity persists in cats for 6 yr, 12 4-6-mo-old cats without T. gondii antibodies were inoculated orally with tissue cysts of the ME-49 strain and the TS-2 strain and 9 cats re-shed T. Gondii oocysts Seventy-seven months after primary infection.
Abstract: Cats that have shed Toxoplasma gondii oocysts are considered to be immune to reshedding of oocysts. To investigate if this immunity persists in cats for 6 yr, 12 4-6-mo-old cats without T. gondii antibodies were inoculated orally with tissue cysts of the ME-49 strain (6 cats) and the TS-2 strain (6 cats) of T. gondii. All of them shed > or = 20 million oocysts between 4 and 13 days after feeding tissue cysts. Two cats became ill between 11 and 13 days after primary infection; 1 died on the 13th day, and the other had to be killed on the 11th day because of generalized acute toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma gondii oocysts were not found on the hair of 10 cats examined 7 days after cats had shed millions of oocysts. On day 39 after primary infection, 5 cats (2 infected with the ME-49 strain and 3 infected with the TS-2 strain) were challenged orally with tissue cysts of the ME-49 strain. None of the challenged cats shed oocysts. One cat died due to causes unrelated to toxoplasmosis. Seventy-seven months after primary infection, the remaining 9 cats were challenged orally with tissue cysts of the P89 strain of T. gondii. Four of these 9 cats re-shed T. gondii oocysts; 3 of them had been challenged also at 39 days after primary infection. Two control cats housed together with chronically infected cats for 6 yr remained seronegative for T. gondii; both of these shed oocysts after challenge with the P89 strain.
382 citations
TL;DR: The results indicate that PCR with the primer pair Np21/Np6 could provide an efficient tool for large-scale epidemiological studies using brain tissue obtained at necropsy.
Abstract: Both tachyzoites and bradyzoites in tissue cysts of Neospora caninum are morphologically difficult to distinguish from those of other cyst-forming apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii. Thus, molecular tools may contribute to easy identification of the parasite. Based upon an N. caninum-specific DNA fragment that we have recently cloned, 5 sense (Np1, Np3, Np5, Np7, Np21) and 4 antisense (Np2, Np4, Np6, Np8) oligonucleotides were designed for a sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among 19 combinations of sense and antisense primers, the Np21/Np6, Np21/Np4, and Np7/Np6 primer pairs were found to generate specific single bands in the presence of at least 10 pg genomic parasite DNA as a template. The primer pair Np21/Np6 was able to detect a single tachyzoite in the background of DNA derived from 2 mg of brain tissue. In experimentally infected athymic ICR:nu/nu mice, N. caninum-DNA was detected consistently from brain tissue at days 13 and 18 after subcutaneous inoculation of tachyzoites. The presence or absence of the organisms in the cerebrum in either proliferative or cystic form was examined by immunohistological staining. The results indicate that PCR with the primer pair Np21/Np6 could provide an efficient tool for large-scale epidemiological studies using brain tissue obtained at necropsy.
248 citations