Toxoplasma Abortions in a Dairy Sheep Flock

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Introduction

Toxoplasmosis has not been diagnosed in Greek sheep or goat flocks to date, although many seropositive animals have been found in recent seroprevalence studies.

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Materials and Methods

Massive abortions (300–500 pregnant sheep) at 110–130 days of gestation and subsequent reduced milk production were observed in a dairy sheep flock in Greece. Maternal and fetal serology and fetal brain cytology were employed to establish a diagnosis. Two treatment regimes were subsequently evaluated in the remaining 200 pregnant sheep. Sulphadimidine was administered IM at a dose of 20 (group 1) or 33 (group 2) mg/kg every 2 days for four occasions.

Results

Toxoplasmosis was confirmed by maternal and fetal serology and by fetal brain cytology. Treatment was effective in both groups, as the abortion rate was reduced and the gestation period was prolonged, resulting in more animals having normal milk production, but was significantly more effective in group 2.

Conclusions

Ovine toxoplasma abortion with such a massive abortion rate has not been reported previously. This is also the first report of reduced milk production in a dairy flock attributed to toxoplasma abortion.

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