Neospora caninum and neosporosis

Neospora caninum is a protozoan cyst forming apicomplexan parasite that causes neosporosis, notably in cattle (Bos taurus) and domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) [1,2]. It is closely related to Toxoplasma gondii and has emerged as a major cause of reproductive failure in cattle worldwide [2]. The parasite was first described in a dog with encephalomyelitis and myositis [1] and was later described in calves with myeloencephalitis [3,4]. Neospora caninum has been isolated from a variety of animal host species, such as the dog (Nc1;[5] and Nc-Liverpool [6]), cattle (BPA1 and BPA2 [7]), sheep (NC-Sheep [8]) and water buffalo (NCBrbuf-1,2,3,4,5 [9]). Antibodies to N. caninum have also been identified in the captive sika deer (Cerus Nippon), mouflon (Ovis musimon), fallow deer (Dama dama), moose (Alces alces), European bison (Bison bonasusbonasus L.), wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), brown hares (Lepus europeus) and dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) (reviewed in [10]). Apart from the dog (Canis familiaris), other canids have also been considered as potential definitive hosts of N. caninum. To date, coyotes [11], wolves (Canis lupus) [12] and dingoes [13] have also been named as definitive hosts because they have been shown to shed oocysts after being fed infected tissues, while many other domestic and wild mammal species have been identified as intermediate hosts [10,14].