Infection of prepubertal heifer calves as a natural host model for <i>Tritrichomonas foetus</i>.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Tritrichomonas foetus is a sexually transmitted flagellate that causes economic loss in the cattle industry throughout the world. In the United States, there are no approved treatments for the parasite. Owing to its transmission strategy, T. foetus typically infects cattle of breeding age. However, in vivo studies of treatment, diagnostic strategies, and vaccination are severely hampered by the maintenance and cost of maintaining adult cattle in research settings. In this study, we investigated the utility of infecting pre-pubescent heifer calves with T. foetus.

Methods

Four independent cohorts of cross-bred prepubertal heifer calves were vaginally inoculated with T. foetus trophozoites previously derived from a naturally-infec

SUBMITTER: Martin KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12568593 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature