Neospora caninumand Wildlife

Abstract

Bovine neosporosis caused by Neospora caninum is among the main causes of abortion in cattle nowadays. At present there is no effective treatment or vaccine. Serological evidence in domestic, wild, and zoo animals indicates that many species have been exposed to this parasite. However, many aspects of the life cycle of N. caninum are unknown and the role of wildlife in the life cycle of N. caninum is still not completely elucidated. In North America, there are data consistent with a sylvatic cycle involving white tailed-deer and canids and in Australia a plausible sylvatic cycle could be occurring between wild dogs and their macropod preys. In Europe, a similar sylvatic cycle has not been established but is very likely. The present review is a comprehensive and up to date summary of the current knowledge on the sylvatic cycle of N. caninum, species affected and their geographical distribution. These findings could have important implications in both sylvatic and domestic cycles since infected wildlife may influence the prevalence of infection in cattle farms in the same areas. Wildlife will need to be taken into account in the control measures to reduce the economical losses associated with this important disease in cattle farms.

Estimating Neospora caninum prevalence in wildlife populations using Bayesian inference

“…Currently, the described life cycle of N. caninum comprises sylvatic and domestic cycles (Gondim et al. ; Almeria ). In the United States, coyotes and dogs are believed to be the main definitive hosts and white‐tailed deer and cows the main intermediate hosts (Dubey ; Gondim et al.…”

Infection by Neospora caninum in dairy cattle belonging to family farmers in the northern region of Brazil

“…Since the first description of Neospora caninum as a new genus and species in 1988, bovine neosporosis has become a disease of international concern, given that it is among the main causes of abortion in cattle (ALMERÍA, 2013). Although N. caninum has a wide host range, it is considered primarily to be a disease of cattle and dogs (DUBEY & SCHARES, 2011).…”

Exposure of free-living jaguars to Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Sarcocystis neurona in the Brazilian Pantanal

“…Antibodies against N. caninum have been reported in several wild species, such as wild herbivores and canids (DUBEY et al, 1999c;CAÑON-FRANCO et al, 2004;VALADAS et al, 2010;ALMERÍA, 2013), which can establish a plausible sylvatic cycle of the parasite, since coyotes (Canis latrans), dingoes (C. lupus dingo) and gray wolves (C. lupus lupus) are definitive hosts, similarly to domestic dogs (MCALLISTER et al, 1998;GONDIM et al, 2004a;KING et al, 2010;DUBEY et al, 2011). The presence of anti-N. caninum antibodies in several free-living and captive wild feline species has also been reported worldwide (CHEADLE et al, 1999;FERROGLIO et al, 2003;SPENCER et al, 2003;SEDLÁK & BÁRTOVÁ, 2006;ANDRÉ et al, 2010), but no clinical cases resulting from this parasite infection have been described in naturally infected felids (ALMERÍA, 2013).…”

“…Studies have shown antibodies to or evidence of infection with T. gondii, N. caninum and S. neurona in wild and domestic animals around the world, most of which are also present in the Pantanal, such as capybara, deer, canids, primates, birds, marsupials, as well as domestic dogs, cats, horses and cattle (DUBEY et al, 1988(DUBEY et al, , 1999aROSSANO et al, 2002;CAÑON-FRANCO et al, 2003GENNARI et al, 2004;LEITE et al, 2008;ALMERÍA, 2013). These domestic species are raised on cattle ranches and in rural communities in the Pantanal region on lands adjoining protected areas.…”

“…Serosurveys conducted in Brazil have revealed the occurrence of antibodies against N. caninum in capybaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) (YAI et al, 2008;VALADAS et al, 2010) and in pampas-deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) (TIEMANN et al, 2005), which are species commonly found in this region of the Pantanal and are known prey of jaguars, making infected animals available through carnivorism in the sylvatic cycle of the parasite. Although felids probably act only as intermediate hosts in neosporosis (ALMERÍA, 2013), the role of this top predator in the life cycle of this parasite and the influence of N. caninum infection on the health status of jaguar populations remains undefined. Serological evidence of infection and isolation of N. caninum in several wild species, added to the evidence that the parasite can be transmitted between wildlife and domestic animals (GONDIM et al, 2004b), involve new issues related to the transmission cycle of the parasite and to preventive measures in conservation units and their surrounding areas.…”