Neospora caninum [ne-osʹpə-rə ca-ninʹum]
From the neo- (Latin, “new”) + spora (Greek, “seed”) and canis (Latin, “dog”), Neospora caninum (Figure) is a sporozoan parasite that was first described in 1984. It is a major pathogen of cattle and dogs but can also infect horses, goats, sheep, and deer. Antibodies to N. caninum have been found in humans, predominantly in those with HIV infection, although the role of this parasite in causing or exacerbating illness is unclear.
Figure.
Neospora caninum, a coccidian parasite, which identified as a species in 1988. It is a major cause of spontaneous abortion in infected livestock. Image from WIkipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neospora_caninum#/media/File:Neospora_caninum_ (5256961091).jpg).
Footnotes
Suggested citation for this article: Etymologia: Neospora caninum. Emerg Infect Dis 2019 Jun [date cited]. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2506.ET2506
Sources
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