Document Detail


Association between Neospora caninum seropositivity and perinatal mortality in dairy heifers at first calving.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20643884     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Associations between Neospora caninum infection and the reproductive performance of dairy heifers in their first and second pregnancy on 18 UK farms were examined. Six-month-old heifer calves were tested for N caninum-specific antibodies with a commercial ELISA, and were then monitored until their second calving. Random-effects regression analyses were performed on the data, using serological status as the explanatory variable. Of 460 heifers tested, 7.2 per cent were seropositive. Seropositive heifers were more likely to suffer gestational loss (late embryonic/early fetal loss and abortion) than seronegative heifers during their first (odds ratio [OR] 5.3, P<0.01) and second (OR 6.0, P<0.001) pregnancy. Seropositive heifers were also four times more likely to experience perinatal mortality (calf born dead or dying within 24 hours of parturition) at first (OR 3.9, P<0.01) and second (OR 4.5, P<0.1) calving. No significant association between seropositivity and the fertility parameters (age at first breeding and calving, days from calving to first service and conception, services per conception and calving interval) or conception failure was found. The results suggest that N caninum infection before pregnancy is a significant contributing factor to gestational loss and perinatal death, and thus serological screening of potential replacement heifers is recommended.
Authors:
J S Brickell; M M McGowan; D C Wathes
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Veterinary record     Volume:  167     ISSN:  2042-7670     ISO Abbreviation:  Vet. Rec.     Publication Date:  2010 Jul 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-07-20     Completed Date:  2010-08-17     Revised Date:  2012-05-10    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0031164     Medline TA:  Vet Rec     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  82-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Reproduction Group, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA. jbrickell@rvc.ac.uk
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Abortion, Veterinary / parasitology
Animals
Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
Cattle
Cattle Diseases / immunology,  mortality,  parasitology*
Coccidiosis / complications,  immunology,  mortality,  veterinary*
Dairying
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
Female
Fetal Death / veterinary
Great Britain / epidemiology
Neospora / immunology,  isolation & purification*
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / immunology,  veterinary*
Regression Analysis
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Antibodies, Protozoan

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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