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Endogenous and exogenous transplacental transmission of Neospora caninum – how the route of transmission impacts on epidemiology and control of disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 August 2009

D. J. L. WILLIAMS ,
C. S. HARTLEY ,
C. BJÖRKMAN  and
A. J. TREES
D. J. L. WILLIAMS*
Affiliation:
Veterinary Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZJ, UK
C. S. HARTLEY
Affiliation:
Veterinary Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZJ, UK
C. BJÖRKMAN
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
A. J. TREES
Affiliation:
Veterinary Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZJ, UK
*
*Corresponding author: [email protected]
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Summary

Vertical transmission of the protozoan parasite, Neospora caninum is highly efficient and can take two forms – endogenous transplacental transmission resulting from activation of the quiescent bradyzoite stage during pregnancy or exogenous transplacental transmission resulting from ingestion of oocysts during pregnancy. Calves born carrying infection derived from either endogenous or exogenous transplacental transmission are capable of infecting their offspring when they start to breed. This review considers firstly the frequency with which exogenous and endogenous transmission occur, secondly the role of the immune response in controlling N. caninum infection and thirdly how the parasite persists in an immune-competent host and is re-activated during pregnancy.

Keywords

Neospora caninumbovine immune responsepregnancypersistencerecrudescencetolerance
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 136 , Special Issue 14: Transmission cycles in protozoan parasites , December 2009 , pp. 1895 - 1900
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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