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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #267686
Title: Toxoplasmosis and Neosporosis

Author
item Dubey, Jitender
item LAPPIN, M - Colorado State University

Submitted to: Infectious Diseases of Dogs and Cats
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2011
Publication Date: 2/1/2012
Citation: Dubey, J.P., Lappin, M.R. 2012. Toxoplasmosis and Neosporosis. In: Infectious Diseases of Dogs and Cats. Philadelphia: Elsevier. p. 806-827.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This is a revierw of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in cats and dogs. Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled parasite of all warm-blooded hosts worldwide. It causes mental retardation and loss of vision in children, and abortion in livestock. Cats are the main reservoir of T. gondii because they are the only hosts that can excrete the resistant stage (oocyst) of the parasite in the feces. Humans become infected by eating undercooked meat from infected animals and food and water contaminated with oocysts. Neospora is a parasite related to Toxoplasma.In the present paper Dubey and Lappin review current information on toxoplasmosis in cats and dogs. The results will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, and veterinarians.