A review of toxoplasmosis in cattle

Worldwide reports of natural and experimentally-induced Toxoplasma gondii infections in cattle are reviewed and tabulated. Serologic tests employed in most studies in the past are of suboptimal sensitivity for the diagnosis of T. gondii infection in cattle; therefore data need to be interpreted with caution. From the evidence available it is concluded that: T. gondii is probably not important in causing abortion or clinical illness in cattle but further experimental studies are desirable; T. gondii is eliminated quickly from bovine tissues; Whether beef plays a part in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis is unresolved; Milk from T. gondii-infected cows is of negligible importance in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis.