Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Where Neospora caninum parasites are found in dogs with neosporosis
By Barber, J S et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·1996·Department of Parasitology, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Distribution of Neospora caninum within the central nervous system and other tissues of six dogs with clinical neosporosis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of six dogs diagnosed with neosporosis, a disease caused by the parasite Neospora caninum, showed various clinical signs. The dogs had their brains and spinal cords examined, revealing that the parasites were mostly found in the cerebrum, but their presence did not directly relate to the symptoms the dogs experienced. Interestingly, the amount of parasites varied among the dogs, and those with longer illness durations had more parasites in their central nervous systems. While the parasites were also found in other tissues like muscles and organs, they did not cause noticeable damage or symptoms in those areas. Diagnosis is best confirmed through brain tissue examination or muscle biopsies.
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Abstract
Six cases of neosporosis in dogs were diagnosed on the basis of clinical signs, serology and immunohistochemistry. The brains and spinal cords, at several levels, and various other tissues were examined using anti-Neospora caninum serum by an immunoperoxidase technique. Parasite density varied markedly from case to case. Although found most consistently in the cerebrum, parasites were distributed throughout the central nervous system (CNS), both within the grey and white matter and within nerve roots. Clinical signs were not related to the position of parasites. Tissue cysts were found infrequently in all areas of the CNS, but not in other tissues. Parasite density was not related to the age of the dog or whether treatment had been given. However, with the exception of the only adult dog examined, more CNS parasites were found in dogs with a longer duration of illness and with higher antibody titres. Tachyzoites were present in skeletal muscles, in the muscularis of the oesophagus, in heart, lung and, less frequently, liver, and rarely in the adrenal gland, thyroid gland and uterus; no clinical signs were seen resulting from damage to these organs. Parasites were not observed in lymphoid tissue. In visceral organs, parasites were most widely distributed in peracute cases. For post mortem diagnosis of neosporosis, the CNS, particularly the cerebrum, is the optimum tissue to examine but parasites may also be found in many other tissues, especially in acute cases. Muscle biopsy of appropriate muscles (as suggested by the clinical signs) provides the possibility of a definitive premortem diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8981277/