Neospora caninum에 의한 젖소의 반복유산

Repeated bovine abortion associated with Neospora caninum in Korea

A case of repeated bovine abortion caused by Neospora caninum is described. The 3-year-old Holstein cow, which was seropositive to N caninum antibody by indirect immunofluoresent assay, aborted consecutively within a 10-month period. Two fetuses of 6- or 5-month of gestation were aborted in June 1996 and March 1997, respectively. Histologically, multifocal necrotizing encephalitis, nonsuppurative periportal hepatitis, myocarditis, and myositis were observed in both fetuses. Tachyzoites or tissue cysts detected in the brain, heart and liver were positive to N caninum but negative to Toxoplasma gondii by immunohistochemical method. The results of our study demonstrate that repeated abortion due to N caninum actually occurs in Korea. This is believed to the first report of repeated abortion associated with N caninum in Korea.