• 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


Pathogenesis

Dog Neosporosis

Cattle Neosporosis

Horse Neosporosis


  • 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.

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Tissue Cyst Forming Coccidian Flashcards