Softic Adis, Asmare Kassahun, Granquist Erik Georg, Godfroid Jacques, Fejzic Nihad, Skjerve Eystein
Department for economics and animal health, University of Sarajevo, Veterinary Faculty in Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 90, 71000, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 8146, 0033, Oslo, Norway.
BMC Vet Res. 2018 Feb 2;14(1):40. doi: 10.1186/s12917-018-1361-z.
Dairy production in Bosnia and Herzegovina exhibits limited productivity, which may partly, be explained by extensive reproductive problems of non-infectious and infectious origin. Brucella spp., Chlamydia abortus, Coxiella burnetii and Neospora caninum are common infectious causes of decreased reproductive outcomes in cattle worldwide. Little is, however, known about the disease status of herds with reduced reproductive performances. A cross-sectional study was designed to document the status of these pathogens in dairy cattle in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A total of 1970 serum samples were collected from cattle in farms located in three cantons (regions). Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays were used to screen for seropositivity against four selected pathogens.
The overall seroprevalence was estimated at both the herd level and at individual level for each pathogen. At the individual animal level, the prevalence for C. abortus, C. burnetii, N. caninum and Brucella spp. was 52.1% (95% CI: 41.2-62.7), 8.8% (95% CI: 5.3-14.2), 9.2% (95% CI: 6.0-12.3 and 0.2% (95% CI: 0.1-0.5), respectively. The corresponding estimates for herd level were 87.9% (95% CI: 82.6-91.8), 19.6% (95% CI: 14.6-25.8), 35.2% (95% CI: 28.8-42.1), and 1.5% (95% CI: 0.5-4.6). A substantial overlap was observed in the presence of N. caninum, C. abortus and C. burnetii at individual and herd level.
Our study demonstrated a high level of antibodies to Chlamydia abortus. Considering the association of this agent with reproductive disorders in cattle, future studies should be directed to the epidemiological traits of this infection. Additionally, the relatively high levels of exposure to C. burnetii and N. caninum found in this study highlights the need for targeted control of infectious causes of reproductive disorders in dairy cattle of the studied areas. Given the low seroprevalence, Brucella spp. does not seem to represent a problem in the reproductive health of cattle in the studied areas.
波斯尼亚和黑塞哥维那的乳制品生产效率有限，这可能部分归因于非传染性和传染性的广泛生殖问题。布鲁氏菌属、流产衣原体、伯氏考克斯氏体和犬新孢子虫是全球牛生殖性能下降的常见传染性病因。然而，对于生殖性能下降的牛群的疾病状况知之甚少。一项横断面研究旨在记录波斯尼亚和黑塞哥维那奶牛中这些病原体的状况。总共从位于三个县（地区）的农场的牛身上采集了1970份血清样本。采用酶联免疫吸附试验筛选针对四种选定病原体的血清阳性。
对每种病原体在畜群水平和个体水平上的总体血清阳性率进行了估计。在个体动物水平上，流产衣原体、伯氏考克斯氏体、犬新孢子虫和布鲁氏菌属的阳性率分别为52.1%（95%置信区间：41.2 - 62.7）、8.8%（95%置信区间：5.3 - 14.2）、9.2%（95%置信区间：6.0 - 12.3）和0.2%（95%置信区间：0.1 - 0.5）。畜群水平的相应估计值分别为87.9%（95%置信区间：82.6 - 91.8）、19.6%（95%置信区间：14.6 - 25.8）、35.2%（95%置信区间：28.8 - 42.1）和1.5%（95%置信区间：0.5 - 4.6）。在个体和畜群水平上，犬新孢子虫、流产衣原体和伯氏考克斯氏体的存在情况存在大量重叠。
我们的研究表明流产衣原体抗体水平较高。考虑到该病原体与牛生殖障碍的关联，未来的研究应针对这种感染的流行病学特征。此外，如果在这项研究中发现的相对较高的伯氏考克斯氏体和犬新孢子虫暴露水平突出了对研究区域奶牛生殖障碍的传染性病因进行有针对性控制的必要性。鉴于血清阳性率较低，布鲁氏菌属似乎在研究区域的牛生殖健康中不构成问题。
