Difference between revisions of "Neospora"
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***Post-natal infection occurs but is less common | ***Post-natal infection occurs but is less common | ||
| − | *''Neospora caninum'' in [[ | + | *''Neospora caninum'' in [[Parasitic Myositis#Protozoa|myositis]] |
Latest revision as of 23:01, 5 March 2011
- 2 main species
- Neospora caninum in the dog
- Neospora hughesi in the horse
- Sporulated oocysts measuring just 10μm
- Oocyst contains 2 sporocysts with 4 sporozoites
- Route of transmission not fully understood
- Often misdiagnosed as Toxoplasma gondii
- Sarcocystis cysts have thicker walls
- Infection diagnosed by IFAT, ELISA or PCR
- Identification of lesions and organisms in tissue using immunohistochemical staining
- Eliminate other causes of abortion first
Life cycle
- Life cycle similar to Toxoplasma gondii
- Limited range of warm-blooded intermediate hosts
- Asexual reproduction occurs in intermediate host forming tissue cysts
- Host range of sexual stage is unknown for N.caninum
- Intermediate host for N.hughesi is the horse, but the definitive host is unknown
- Final host
- Dogs pass oocysts
- Role not fully understood in pathogenesis
- 5 day prepatent period
- Other wild canids may also act as final definitive hosts
- Intermediate host
- Mostly cattle
- Natural infection has been documented in other herbivores
- Transmission
- Transplacental infection occurs in all intermediate hosts and in the canine final host
- Transplacental transmission can occur in successive pregnancies
- In cattle, vertical transmission occurs
- Post-natal infection occurs but is less common
- Transplacental infection occurs in all intermediate hosts and in the canine final host
- Neospora caninum in myositis
Pathogenesis
- N. caninum
- Necrotising inflammation of muscles
- Myositis more severe than in toxoplasmosis
N. caninum - A disease of cattle with late abortion of mummified or autolysed foetus. May also get foetal malformation, e.g. arthrogryposis.