Redescription of Neospora caninum and its differentiation from related coccidia.

ABSTRACT

Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite of animals, which before 1984 was misidentified as Toxoplasma gondii. Infection by this parasite is a major cause of abortion in cattle and causes paralysis in dogs. Since the original description of N. caninum in 1988, considerable progress has been made in the understanding of its life cycle, biology, genetics and diagnosis. In this article, the authors redescribe the parasite, distinguish it from related coccidia, and provide accession numbers to its type specimens deposited in museums.