Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Neospora caninum versus Brucella spp. exposure among dairy cattle in Ethiopia: A case control study

  • Regular Articles
  • Published:
Tropical Animal Health and Production Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This case-control study aimed at assessing the relative association of Neospora caninum and Brucella species exposure with reproductive disorders. The study was carried out between October 2011 and June 2012 on 731 dairy cows sampled from 150 dairy farms in selected 17 conurbations of Ethiopia. Two hundred sixty-six of the cows were categorized as cases based on their history of abortion or stillbirth while the remaining 465 were controls. The presence of antibody to N. caninum was screened using indirect ELISA, while Brucella spp. exposure was assayed serially using Rose Bengal Plate Test and Complement Fixation Test. Exposure to N. caninum was more frequently observed among cases (23.8 %) than controls (12.7 %), while no significant difference (p > 0.05) was noted for Brucella exposure between the two groups. Moreover, the proportion of cows with disorders like retention of fetal membrane, endometritis and increased inter-calving period were significantly higher (p < 0.05) among Neospora seropositive cows. In conclusion, the finding discloses the strong association of N. caninum with reproductive disorders compared to Brucella spp. exposure. However, neither N. caninum nor Brucella spp. could explain the majority (73.2 %) of the reported abortions and stillbirths in cattle. Hence, this observation underscores the need for more intensive investigation on the identification of causes of the aforementioned disorders in dairy cattle of Ethiopia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akca, A., Gokce, H.I., Guy, C.S., McGarry, J.W., Williams, D.J., 2005. Prevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum in local and imported cattle breeds in the Kars Province of Turkey. Research in Veterinary Science 78, 123–126.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Asmare, K., Regassa, F., Robertson, L.J., Martin, A.D., Skjerve, E., 2013. Reproductive disorders in relation to Neospora caninum Brucella spp. and bovine viral diarrhoea virus serostatus in breeding and dairy farms of central and southern Ethiopia. Epidemiology and Infection 141, 1180–1772.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Asmare, K., Skjerve, E., Bekele, J., Sheferaw, D., Stachurska-Hagen, T., Robertson, L. J., 2014. Molecular identification of Neospora caninum from calf/foetal brain tissue and among oocysts recovered from faeces of naturally infected dogs in southern Ethiopia. Acta Tropica 130, 88–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bjorkman, C., Alenius, S., Manuelsson, U., Uggla, A., 2000. Neospora caninum and bovine virus diarrhoea virus infections in Swedish dairy cows in relation to abortion. The Veterinary Journal 159, 201–206.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dohoo, I., Martin, W., Stryhn, H., 2009. Veterinary epidemiologic research, 2nd ed. AVC, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, pp. 239–249.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubey, J.P., Carpenter, J.L., Speer, C.A., Topper, M.J., Uggla, A., 1988. Newly recognized fatal protozoan disease of dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 192, 1269–1285.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dubey, J. P., Buxton, D. and Wouday,W. 2006. Pathogenesis of bovine neosporosis, Review. Journal of Comparative Pathology 134, 267–289.

  • Dubey, J. P., Schares, G. and Ortega-Mora, L. M., 2007. Epidemiology and control of neosporosis and Neospora caninum. Clinical Microbiology Review 20, 323–367.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Escamilla, H.P., Martínez, M.J., Medina, C.M., Morales, S.E., 2007. Frequency and causes of infectious abortion in a dairy herd in Queretaro, Mexico. Short communication. Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 71, 314–317.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ghalmi, F., China, B., Ghalmi, A., Hammitouche, D., Losson, B., 2012. Study of the risk factors associated with Neospora caninum seroprevalence in Algerian cattle populations. Research in Veterinary Science 93, 655–661.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • González-Warleta, M., Castro-Hermida, M.J.A., Carro-Corral, C., Cortizo- Mella, J., Mezo, M., 2008. Epidemiology of neosporosis in dairy cattle in Galicia (NW Spain). Parasitology Research 102, 243–249.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ibrahim, A.M.E., Elfahal, A.M., El Hussein, A.R.M., 2012. First report of Neospora caninum infection in cattle in Sudan. Tropical Animal Health and Production 44, 769–772.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Konnai, S., Mingala, C. N., Sato, M., Abesb, N. S.,Venturina, F. A., Gutierrez, C. A., Sano, T., Omata, Y.,Cruz, L. C., Onuma, M., Ohashi, K. 2008. A survey of abortifacient infectious agents in livestock in Luzon, the Philippines, with emphasis on the situation in a cattle herd with abortion problems. Acta Tropica 105, 269–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kul, O., Kabakci, N., Yildiz, K., Ocal, N., Kalender, H., Ilkme, N.A., 2009. Neospora caninum associated with epidemic abortions in dairy cattle: the first clinical neosporosis report in Turkey. Veterinary Parasitology 159, 69–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Land O’Lakes Inc., 2010. The next stage in dairy development for Ethiopia dairy value chains. In: End markets and food security cooperative agreement 663-A-00-05-00431-00. Land O’Lakes Inc., Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

  • Nazir, M. M., Maqbool, A., Khan, M.S., Sajjid, A., and Lindsay, D. S., 2013. Effects of age and breed on the prevalence of Neospora caninum in commercial dairy cattle from Pakistan. Journal of Parasitology 99, 368–370.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • OIE, 2012. Manual of the diagnostic tests and vaccines for terrestrial animals, vol. 1, 6th ed. Office International Des Epizooties, Paris, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ortega-Mora, L.M., Gottstein, B., Conraths, F.J., Buxton, D., 2007. Ruminants: guidelines for diagnosis and control in farm protozoal abortion.CAB International, UK.pp 42–122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simsek, S., Utuk, A.E., Koroglu, E., Dumanli, N., Risvanli, A., 2008. Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in repeat breeder dairy cows in Turkey. Archiv fur Tierzucht 51, 143–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sotiraki, S., Brozos, C., Samartzi, F., Schares, G., Kiossis, E., Conraths, F.J., 2008. Neospora caninum infection in Greek dairy cattle herds detected by two antibody assays in individual milk samples. Veterinary Parasitology 152, 79–84.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, R.F. and Njaa, B. L., 2011. Kirkbride’s diagnosis of abortion and neonatal loss in animals. In: General approach to fetal and neonatal loss. 4th ed. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press, pp 5–6.

  • Tesfaye, G., Tsegaye, W., Chanie, M., Abinet, F., 2011. Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of bovine brucellosis in Addis Ababa dairy farms. Tropical Animal Health and Production 43, 1001–1005.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tschopp, R., Abera, B., Yao, S.S., Guerne-Bleich, E., Aseffa A., Wubete, A., Zinsstag, J. and Young, D., 2013. Bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis prevalence in cattle from selected milk cooperatives in Arsi zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia. BMC Veterinary Research 9, 163 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1746-6148/9/163.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yildiz, K., Kul, O., Babur, C., Kich, S., Gazyagc, A.N., Celebi, B., Gurcan, I. S., 2009. Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in dairy cattle ranches with high abortion rate: Special emphasis to serologic co-existence with Toxoplasma gondii, Brucella abortus and Listeria monocytogenes. Veterinary Parasitology 164, 306–310.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yoo, H.S., 2010. Infectious cause of reproductive disorders in cattle. Journal of Reproduction and Development 56, 54–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The author would like to acknowledge NORAD project for sponsoring the study. Professor Eystein Skjerve, Professor Lucy Robertson, Professor Jacque Godfroids, Drs Jemere Bekele and Berhanu Sibhat are greatly acknowledged for the provision of valuable inputs in to this study.

Conflict of interest

None

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kassahun Asmare.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Asmare, K. Neospora caninum versus Brucella spp. exposure among dairy cattle in Ethiopia: A case control study. Trop Anim Health Prod 46, 961–966 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-014-0599-0

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-014-0599-0

Keywords

Navigation