title: Extensive production of Neospora caninum tissue cysts in a carnivorous marsupial succumbing to experimental neosporosis.
abstract: Experimental infections of Sminthopsis crassicaudata, the fat-tailed dunnart, a carnivorous marsupial widely distributed throughout the arid and semi-arid zones of Australia, show that this species can act as an intermediate host for Neospora caninum. In contrast to existing models that develop relatively few N. caninum tissue cysts, dunnarts offer a new animal model in which active neosporosis is dominated by tissue cyst production. The results provide evidence for a sylvatic life cycle of N. caninum in Australia between marsupials and wild dogs. It establishes the foundation for an investigation of the impact and costs of neosporosis to wildlife.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. jan.slapeta@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jessica S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Bronwyn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McAllan
authors.forename: Derek S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Spielman
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: Lada
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hůrková-Hofmannová
authors.forename: Ashlie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hartigan
authors.forename: Sarwat E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Al-Qassab
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slapeta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D008297:Male; D008394:Marsupialia; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018688:Neospora / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D033661:Oocysts / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan