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Experimental ruminant models for bovine neosporosis: what is known and what is needed

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

JULIO BENAVIDES ,
ESTHER COLLANTES-FERNÁNDEZ ,
IGNACIO FERRE ,
VALENTÍN PÉREZ ,
CARLOS CAMPERO ,
RINALDO MOTA ,
ELISABETH INNES  and
LUIS M. ORTEGA-MORA
JULIO BENAVIDES
Affiliation:
Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-ULE), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
ESTHER COLLANTES-FERNÁNDEZ
Affiliation:
SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040-Madrid, Spain
IGNACIO FERRE
Affiliation:
SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040-Madrid, Spain
VALENTÍN PÉREZ
Affiliation:
Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-ULE), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
CARLOS CAMPERO
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), 7620 Balcarce, Argentina
RINALDO MOTA
Affiliation:
Departamento de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Brazil
ELISABETH INNES
Affiliation:
Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Edinburgh, EH26 0PZ, UK
LUIS M. ORTEGA-MORA*
Affiliation:
SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040-Madrid, Spain
*
* Corresponding author: SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040-Madrid, Spain. E-mail: luis.ortega@vet.ucm.es
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Summary

At present, bovine neosporosis is an important worldwide concern because of its wide geographic distribution and economic impact. Abortion is the main clinical sign of bovine neosporosis in both dairy and beef cattle. Ruminant challenge models are critical to evaluate potential vaccine candidates to help tackle bovine neosporosis and to study pathogenesis and host responses to infection. Several research groups have developed ruminant models of Neospora caninum infection independently of others, resulting in a high degree of variability due to the use of different species of animals, breeds, strains/isolates of N. caninum, doses, routes and times of inoculation. Standardization is greatly needed to advance research in a more collaborative, timely and efficient manner. In the absence of widely accepted international guidelines, this manuscript serves to summarize and discuss the different models and parameters currently in use. Parameters essential for the development of non-pregnant and pregnant ruminant models are outlined and the main knowledge gaps are identified. This information could act as the basis to develop a consensus for international standard guidelines for ruminant models of neosporosis that would be helpful for researchers in this field worldwide.

Keywords

bovine neosporosisruminant modelsharmonizationknowledge gaps
Type
Special Issue Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 141 , Special Issue 11: ApiCOWplexa 2013 – 2nd International Meeting on Apicomplexan Parasites in Farm Animals , September 2014 , pp. 1471 - 1488
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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