Toxoplasmosis in ferrets

Authors: Thornton RN
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 38, Issue 3, pp 123, Sep 1990
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Mustelid, Livestock, Wildlife
Subject Terms: Reproduction, Protozoa, Disease/defect, Zoonosis, Infectious disease, Public health
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: In 1986 I described an epidemic of congenital Toxoplasmalike disease in ferrets. The protozoan was subsequently confirmed immunohistochemically as Toxoplasma (Dubey, personal communication) but this was not reported. I wish to report this fact now in light of the recent discovery of the protozoan Neospora caninum, which is morphologically similar to Toxoplasma gondii, but which can be distinguished immunohistochemically. The life cycle of Neospora caninum is not yet known so it is of interest to establish the fact that the ferrets in our report were confirmed as having toxoplasmosis.

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