Markers related to the diagnosis and to the risk of abortion in bovine neosporosis

- Bovine neosporosis has emerged as a main cause of abortion in cattle worldwide.
- An important question to understand the disease is why not all infected cows abort.
- Markers for diagnosis and risk of abortion in the infected cow are summarized.
- These markers might help to understand the mechanisms of abortion to control it.

Bovine neosporosis has emerged as a main cause of abortion in cattle worldwide. An important question to understand the disease is why not all infected cows abort. In the present review we summarize the knowledge on markers related to the diagnosis and more importantly to the risk of abortion in the infected cow. Markers considered herein include those based on specific antibodies, antibody titers and antibody subtypes, cellular immunological markers, hormones and other proteins related to gestation. The identification of parasite molecules that are specifically identified in the aborting cows might help to understand the mechanism of parasite-associated abortion and control the disease.