{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]],"date-time":"2026-06-12T14:52:53Z","timestamp":1781275973725,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":14,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]],"date-time":"2025-10-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1761091200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Vet. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used in the diagnostic workup of canine central nervous system (CNS) disorders, its role in neosporosis has not been systematically characterised. Numerous questions remain regarding optimal diagnostic approaches and treatment protocols, and large-scale studies are lacking.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The objective of the study was to systematically review and analyse published cases of canine neosporosis undergoing MRI examination of the CNS and identify clinical, diagnostic, and treatment variables associated with outcomes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria were confirmation of\n                      <jats:italic>N. caninum<\/jats:italic>\n                      infection by serology, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or histopathology, and MRI performed at diagnosis. Extracted data included signalment, clinical signs, MRI features, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) results, serology, PCR, treatment, and outcomes. Statistical analyses assessed associations and correlations among diagnostic and outcome variables.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Eighty-two cases extracted from 11 publications met the inclusion criteria. MRI commonly revealed multifocal intra-axial lesions, frequently involving the cerebellum, with variable contrast enhancement of the brain and spinal cord and meninges, and consistent contrast enhancement in the muscles. A significant association was identified between elevated cerebrospinal fluid total nucleated cell count (CSF TNCC) and positive cerebrospinal fluid polymerase chain reaction (CSF PCR). Treatment duration strongly correlated with survival. Death\/euthanasia due to neosporosis occurred in one-third of the cases. Remissions were rare. Relapses occurred despite initial improvement.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Canine neosporosis presents with diverse neurological clinical signs and MRI features. The disease mainly affects young-to-middle-aged adults with multifocal CNS involvement, and CSF is abnormal in the majority of cases. Review analyses showed that serology titres, serum creatine kinase (CK) levels, CSF TNCC, CSF PCR results, and MRI contrast had no prognostic value, while higher CSF TNCC was associated with positive CSF PCR. The only consistent prognostic marker was treatment duration\u2014longer antimicrobial therapy was correlated with improved survival. Although the prognosis remains guarded, early recognition and prolonged antimicrobial treatment are key to improving outcomes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2025.1669529","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]],"date-time":"2025-10-22T14:07:16Z","timestamp":1761142036000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["A systematic review of clinical and diagnostic findings, treatment, and outcomes in canine neosporosis cases evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Neringa","family":"Alisauskaite","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1201\/9781315152561","volume-title":"Neosporosis in animals","author":"Dubey","year":"2017"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"571","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1939-1676.2010.0485.x","article-title":"Necrotizing cerebellitis and cerebellar atrophy caused by Neospora caninum infection: magnetic resonance imaging and clinicopathologic findings in seven dogs","volume":"24","author":"Garosi","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Vet Intern Med"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"582","DOI":"10.1111\/jsap.13702","article-title":"Insights into the clinical presentation, diagnostics and outcome in dogs presenting with neurological signs secondary to infection with Neospora caninum: 41 cases (2014-2023)","volume":"65","author":"Fisher","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Small Anim Pract"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2561","DOI":"10.1111\/jvim.17145","article-title":"A multimodal approach to diagnosis of neuromuscular neosporosis in dogs","volume":"38","author":"Alf","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Vet Intern Med"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1111\/jsap.12937","article-title":"Serological prevalence of toxoplasmosis and neosporosis in dogs diagnosed with suspected meningoencephalitis in the UK","volume":"60","author":"Coelho","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Small Anim Pract"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2024.1517256","article-title":"Masticatory muscle changes on magnetic resonance imaging of dogs with Neospora caninum compared to meningoencephalitis of unknown origin","author":"Zilli","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Vet Sci"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3079","DOI":"10.1111\/jvim.17219","article-title":"Neosporosis in 21 adult dogs, 2010-2023","volume":"38","author":"Kennedy","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Vet Intern Med"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.1136\/vetreccr-2019-000905","article-title":"Canine central nervous system neosporosis: clinical, laboratory and diagnostic imaging findings in six dogs","author":"Didiano","year":"2020","journal-title":"Vet Rec Case Rep"},{"key":"ref9","first-page":"369","article-title":"Chapter 14 - The Central Nervous System","author":"De Lorenzi","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e458","DOI":"10.1002\/vrc2.458","article-title":"Lumbosacral MRI findings in two dogs diagnosed with a Neospora caninum infection","volume":"10","author":"Clark","year":"2022","journal-title":"Vet Rec Case Rep"},{"key":"ref11","first-page":"1163","article-title":"Neosporosis","volume-title":"Greene\u2019s infectious diseases of the dog and cat. St","author":"Sykes","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1111\/jvim.16334","article-title":"Comparison of serum creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase activity in dogs with Neospora meningoencephalitis and noninfectious meningoencephalitis","volume":"36","author":"Jones","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Vet Intern Med"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e440","DOI":"10.1002\/vrc2.440","article-title":"Correlation between magnetic resonance imaging and histological lesions in a case of meningoencephalomyelitis secondary to Neospora caninum infection in a greyhound","volume":"10","author":"Albertini","year":"2022","journal-title":"Vet Rec Case Rep"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"539","DOI":"10.1111\/vru.12160","article-title":"Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics in four dogs with central nervous system neosporosis","volume":"55","author":"Parzefall","year":"2014","journal-title":"Vet Radiol Ultrasound"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Veterinary Science"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2025.1669529\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]],"date-time":"2025-10-22T14:07:17Z","timestamp":1761142037000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2025.1669529\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]]},"references-count":14,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fvets.2025.1669529"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fvets.2025.1669529","relation":{},"ISSN":["2297-1769"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2297-1769","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]]},"article-number":"1669529"}}