Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a significant cause of abortion in sheep. Infection is picked up from the environment and if initiated during pregnancy may cause fetal mortality. Infected sheep remain persistently infected with tissue cysts in brain and muscle (meat), and are also immune and would not be expected to abort again. The live tachyzoite vaccine (Toxovax) protects against abortion and this allows the suggestion that it may also reduce or prevent tissue cyst development in muscle. If this were so it raises the question of whether the vaccine could be used to make meat safer for human consumption.
MeSH terms
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Abortion, Veterinary / epidemiology
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Abortion, Veterinary / etiology
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Abortion, Veterinary / parasitology
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Abortion, Veterinary / prevention & control
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Animal Feed / parasitology
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Animals
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Antiprotozoal Agents / therapeutic use
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Cats
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Decoquinate / therapeutic use
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Female
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Food Contamination
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Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
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Parasitemia / epidemiology
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Parasitemia / parasitology
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Pregnancy
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Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / epidemiology
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Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / parasitology
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Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / veterinary
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Protozoan Vaccines
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Sheep
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Sheep Diseases / congenital
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Sheep Diseases / epidemiology*
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Sheep Diseases / prevention & control
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Sheep Diseases / transmission
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Swine / parasitology
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Toxoplasmosis, Animal / congenital
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Toxoplasmosis, Animal / epidemiology*
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Toxoplasmosis, Animal / prevention & control
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Toxoplasmosis, Animal / transmission
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Treatment Outcome
Substances
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Antiprotozoal Agents
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Protozoan Vaccines
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tovomax
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Decoquinate