Parasitic Diseases of the Urogenital System Flashcards
describe neospora caninum
- tissue cyst forming coccidian with worldwide distribution
- indirect lifecycle
-DH: canids, sexual stage in intestinal epithelium
-IH: most mammals (cattle, ungulates), asexual stage in tissue cysts - NOT zoonotic
describe congenital and transgenerational transimission of neospora caninum
- IH to IH
- parasite able to cross placenta and infect fetus; most exposed in utero!
- can have a healthy uninfected calf or
- aborted, premature, or impaired calf or
- calf with persistent infection with bradyzoites that can be a later source of infection if establish in tissue
describe the clinical disease of N. caninum in cattle
infertility and abortion!
- abortions: 2nd to 3rd trimester
-usually with post 1st infection pregnancy, autolysis of fetus
-later pregnancies usually go to term, but calves are infected = maintenance of disease in herds - transgenerational infections:
-seropositive calves eventually give birth to seropositive calves without reinfection via sporocyst ingestion! (IH to IH transmission) - decrease in milk production and decrease in weight gain
describe diagnosis of N. caninum
dogs:
-puppy: classic flaccid hind limb paralysis
-serology, molecular tests (PCR)
-organism on biopsy, necropsy of litter mates
-usually negative oocysts on fecal (TINY)
cattle:
-diagnostic test for multiple abortion infectious agents (cows and fetuses)
-serology, PCR, histology
-antibody tests for whole milk
describe treatment of N. caninum
dogs:
-no drugs available to kill tissue form
-clindamycin and TMS (static) or ponazuril (-cidal) MAY help with clinical signs
-the earlier treatment starts the better!
cattle:
no drug therapy available
describe epidemiology, control, and zoonosis of N. caninum
epidemiology:
-risk factors: presence of dogs on farm
-pure breed/immunosuppressed dogs at higher risk for neosporosis
control:
-limit cattle exposure to wild and domestic canids
-farm hygiene (remove abortus! dogs could eat and continue life cycle)
-cull seropositive cows? cull cows with midterm abortions?
-don’t let dogs have access to raw meat, raw food, or dead animals
-spay female dogs with infected litters
zoonosis: NOT zoonotic
describe toxoplasma gondii
- ZOONOTIC tissue cyst forming coccidian with worldwide distribution
- indirect life cycle:
-DH: felids only; asexual and sexual repro in enterocytes
-IH: so so many - major cause of abortion in small ruminants, significant morbidity in marsupials, and ocular disease in humans
-congenitally infected kittens can be clinical
describe toxoplasma gondii in non-felid peratenic hosts
dogs:
-systemic toxoplasmosis
-less commonly develop clinical disease
-fever, neurological, ocular, or respiratory signs
-rule out N. caninum infection
sheep and goats:
-systemic and congenital toxoplasmosis
-systemic: CNS signs (circling)
-congenital: abortion
-toxovac S48 live vaccine available
cattle and horses: very rarely develop clinical disease
rodents:
-systemic toxoplasmosis
-decreased fear of cats
-major source of infection for cats and pigs
swine:
-systemic toxoplasmosis
-fever, respiratory signs
-highly prevalent in free-range pigs
-important source of infection for humans!
poultry:
-systemic toxoplasmosis
-prevalent in free-range and backyard chickens
-important source of infection for humans!!
describe congenital toxoplasmosis
- transmission:
-infection of mother: ingestion of oocysts or tissue cysts
-infection of fetus: transplacental transmission - fetal toxoplasmosis:
-severe disease: congenital malformation, intellectual disability, death
describe testing for T. gondii antibodies just prior to pregnancy or newly pregnant
T. gondii seronegative:
-the mother-to-be has not been previously exposed to T. gondii
-no protective antibodies
-HIGH risk of congenital toxoplasmosis if mother exposed for first time during pregnancy
T. gondii seropositive:
-represents previous exposure
-antibodies are protective (if immunocompetent)
-LOW risk of congenital toxoplasmosis if mother exposed again during preg
describe veterinary advice to pregnant cat owners
- get antibody tested: mother AND cat
-if seropositive, low worries
-cats usually only shed oocysts once - avoid cat feces (sporulation 1-3 days)
- avoid uncooked meat, unclean hands/veggies/knives/cutting boards
- casual contact with cats is very low risk:
-indoor cats< outdoor cats
-old cats < young cats
describe tritrichomonas foetus and T.blagburni
- obligate parasites; exist only as trophozoites
- urogenital and GI tracts
- specific host-pathogen interactions
-bovine trichomoniasis: colonize urogenital tract, venereal disease, causes infertility, abortions in cows and hiefers, economic loss
-feline trichomoniasis: colonize large intestine, large bowel diarrhea
describe the life cycle of T. foetus bovine genital trichomonas
primary hosts: cows/bulls
transmission:
-sexual: bulls to cows and cows to bulls
-artificial insemination
stages:
-trophozoite
-no cyst stage
reproduction: binary fission in urogenital tract
describe T. foetus bovine pathology
not well understood
cows/heifers:
-trophozoites cause indirect damage to epithelial cells in repro tract
-vaginits and endometritis: abortion, infertility, pyometra
-infection is self limiting: clearance approx 20 weeks post infection
bulls:
-trophozoites attach to epi cells lining penins, prepuce, and distal portion of urethra
-no damage to cells, no change in semen quality or sexual behavior
-essentially serve as reservoirs (persistently infected)
describe clinical signs of bovine genital trichomoniasis
main complaints:
1. abortions (early to mid term)
2. failed pregnancy, infertility suspect
3. more open and late cows
pathological findings:
-vaginitis, cervicitis, pyometra, endometritis, mummified fetus
