Epidemiological Evaluation of Reproductive Infectious Agents in Sheep in the Brazilian Semiarid
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12970/2310-0796.2013.01.01.3Keywords:
Reproduction diseases, small ruminants, epidemiology, control, Northeastern Brazil.Abstract
The aim of this work was to identify sheep herds with history of reproductive failures (abortions and perinatal mortality) associated to presence of Chamydophila abortus, Brucella ovis and Leptospira spp. infections in the semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 476 animals from 72 herds in 14 counties of the Sertão mesoregion, state of Paraíba. For the serological diagnosis of C. abortus, B. ovis and Leptospira spp. infections, complement fixation test (CFT), agar gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) and microscopic agglutination test (MAT) were used, respectively. Herd-level prevalence (herds with at least one seropositive animal) of C. abortus was 52.8%, followed by B. ovis (33.3%) and Leptospira spp. (27.7%); concerning seropositivity in animals there was also a higher frequency of C. abortus (19.7%), followed by B. ovis (12.1%) and Leptospira spp. (7.6%) (p < 0.05). Herds with history of abortion (31.9%; 23/72) and perinatal mortality (54.2%; 39/72) had at least one sheep seropositive to one of the infectious agentes. For abortions, herd-level prevalence of C. abortus was 60.8%, followed by B. ovis (43.4%) and Leptospira spp. (30.4%). For perinatal mortality, herd-level prevalence was 64.1% for C. abortus, 38.4% for B. ovis and 33.3% for Leptospira spp. It is suggested that these agents may be important causes of reproductive failures in the semiarid region, and, thus, it is recommended that herd owners should be informed on reasonable sanitary measures related to animal health, and advised to perform diagnosis in cases of abortion and perinatal mortality.
References
IBGE (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística). 2010 Sistema IBGE de Recuperação Automática, SIDRA. http://www.sidra. ibge.gov.br/bda/. (accessed August 30, 2013).
Méndez MC, Riet-Correa F, Ribeiro J, Selaive A, Schild AL. Mortalidade perinatal em ovinos nos municípios de Bagé, Pelotas e Santa Vitória do Palmar, Rio Grande do Sul. Pesq Vet Bras 1982; 2: 69-76.
Ciceroni L, Lombardo D, Pinto A, Ciarrocchi S, Simeoni J. Prevalence of antibodies to Leptospiraserovars in sheep and goats in Alto Adige-South Tyrol. J Vet Med 2000; 47: 217-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1439-0450.2000.00333.x
Clementino IJ, Alves CJ, Azevedo SS, Paulin LM, Medeiros AK. Inquérito soro-epidemiológico e fatores de risco associados à infecção por Brucella ovis em carneiros deslanados do semi-árido da Paraíba. Pesq Vet Bras 2007; 27: 137-43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-736X2007000400002
Santos FA, Higino SSS, Azevedo SS, et al. Caracterização epidemiológica e fatores de risco associados à infecção por Brucella ovis em ovinos deslanados do semiárido paraibano. Pesq Vet Bras 2013; 33: 459-63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-736X2013000400008
Alves CJ, Alcindo JF, Farias AEM, et al. Caracterização epidemiológica e fatores de risco associados à leptospirose em ovinos deslanados do semiárido brasileiro. Pesq Vet Bras 2012; 32(6): 523-28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-736X2012000600009
Piatti RM, Scarcelli EP, Genovez ME. Pesquisa de anticorpos anti-Chlamydophila em caprinos e ovinos. Biológico 2006; 68: 138-40.
Pereira MF, Peixoto RM, Piatti RM, et al. Ocorrência e fatores de risco para Chlamydophila abortus em ovinos e caprinos no estado do Pernambuco. Pesq Vet Bras 2009; 29: 33-40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-736X2009000100005
Salaberry SRS, Lara MCCSH, Piatti RM, et al. Prevalência de anticorpos contra os agentes da Maedi-visna e clamidofilose em ovinos no Município de Uberlândia, MG. Arq Inst Biol 2010; 77: 411-17.
Santos CSAB, Piatti RM, Azevedo SS, et al. Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Chlamydophila abortus infection in dairy goats in the Northeast of Brazil. Pesq Vet Bras 2012; 32: 1082-86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-736X2012001100002
Farias AEM, Higino SSS, Azevedo SS, et al. Caracterização epidemiológica e fatores de risco associados à infecção por Chlamydophila abortus em ovinos deslanados do semiárido brasileiro. Pesq Vet Bras 2013; 33: 286-90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-736X2013000300002
Dean AG. EpiInfo version 6: a word-processing, database, and statistic program for public health on IBM-compatible microcomputers. Atlanta: Center for Diseases Control and Prevention 1994.
Thrusfield M. Veterinary epidemiology. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Blackwell Science 2007.
Galton MM, Sulzer CR, Santa Rosa CA, Fields MJ. Application of a microtechnique to the agglutination test for leptospiral antibodies. Appl Microbiol 1965; 13: 81-85.
Cole JR, Sulzer CR, Pulssely PR. Improved microtechnique for the leptospiral microscopic agglutination. Appl Microbiol 1973; 28: 976-80.
OIE (World Organization for Animal Health). 2010 Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals. Enzootic abortion in ewes (ovine chlamydiosis). http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/mmanual. (accessed August 21, 2013).
Zar JH. Biostatistical Analysis. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall 1999.
Leal TM, Cirad RQ, Guimarães Filho C. Estudo do aborto caprino sob condições extensivas de criação no semiárido baiano. Petrolina: Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária 1992.
Pinheiro Jr JW, Mota RA, Piatti RM, et al. Seroprevalence of antibodies to Chlamydophila abortus in ovine in the State of Alagoas, Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2010; 41(2): 358-64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1517-83822010000200015
Marinho M, Mendes LCN, Kaneto CN, et al. Perfil de aglutininas anti-Leptospira e anti-Brucella e condições sanitárias de ovinos da região noroeste do estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Vet Zootec 2012; 19: 593-600.
Higino SSS, Azevedo SS, Alves CJ, Figueiredo SM, Silva MLCR, Batista CSA. Frequência de leptospirose em ovinos abatidos no Município de Patos, Paraíba. Arq Inst Biol 2010; 77: 525-27.
Faine S. Guidelines for the control of leptospirosis. Genebra: World Health Organization 1982.
