How does toxoplasmosis affect the maternal-foetal immune interface and pregnancy?

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite which, depending on the geographical location, can infect between 10 to 90% of humans. Infection during pregnancy mayresult in congenital toxoplasmosis. The effects on the fetus vary depending on the stage of gestation in which primary maternal infection arises. A large body of research has focused on understanding immune response to toxoplasmosis, although few studies have addressed how it is affected by pregnancy or the pathological consequences of infection at the maternal-fetal interface. There isa lack of knowledge about how maternal immune cells, specifically macrophages are modulated during infection and the resulting consequences for parasite control and pathology. Herein, we discuss the potential of T. gondii infection to affect the maternal-fetal interface and the potential of pregnancy to disrupt maternal immunity to T. gondii infection

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Neospora caninum

This study aimed to determine the frequency of antibodies to Neospora caninum in domestic sheep raised in Henan province, central China. Serum samples from 779 domestic sheep were collected from March 2015 to May 2016, and antibodies to N. caninum were evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed an overall IgG positive rate of 7.32% (57/779). The risk factors significantly related to seropositivity to N. caninum in sheep were the age, the presence of dogs, and the rearing system. This is the first report of N. caninum infection and associated risk factors in domestic sheep in central China