Morphologically, the organism resembles Toxoplasma except that some of the cysts have thick walls. Antigenic and ultrastructural studies have indicated Neospora to be a distinct species. Treatment with Clindamycin is usually effective in surpressing replication of the parasite but does not completely kill the parasite. Remember, toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease and of public health concern. The life cycle of this parasite is similar to that of Toxoplasma except common host is canines instead of felines.
Infections are ubiquitous in reptiles, birds and warm-blooded mammals.
Most cattle and sheep are infected. The life cycle is an obligatory two-host cycle with carnivores serving as the definitive host. The life cycle differs from most coccidia in that the oocysts are sporulated when passed in the feces. Intermediate hosts become infected by eating oocysts or sporocysts. Cysts posess septa.