Abstract:
This article reviews control options for Neospora caninum
infection and abortion in cattle, drawing on published literature
and the authors' own research in this field. Apart from the
successful use of embryo transfer to prevent congenital infection
in calves born to infected cows, there are currently no accepted
control methods for the prevention of abortions in cattle.
The epidemiological data at hand suggest that concomitant
infections with bovine pestivirus increase the risk of abortion
significantly and that these infections, for which effective
vaccines exist, should therefore be controlled. While vertical
transmission appears to be the major route of infection in
cattle, there is also a role for postnatal transmission, involving
a definitive host. Presently, the control of dogs and their access
to bovine tissues, particularly potentially infected placentae
and other foetal tissues, appear to be the most prudent control
methods. There are some indications that vaccination against
N. caninum may aid in the prevention of abortions. Suggestions
for control options are limited by our current lack of actual
experiences with control strategies. Further practical fieldwork
is needed in this area.
