Timing is everything – Choosing the right time to screen the herd for neosporosis

IF 2.2 2区农林科学 Q2 PARASITOLOGY

Veterinary parasitology Pub Date : 2025-10-02 DOI:10.1016/j.vetpar.2025.110622

Sharon Tirosh-Levy , Elena Blinder , Jacob Joost Doekes , Monica L. Mazuz

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Abstract

Neosporosis is a major cause of abortions in cattle, leading to economic losses. As no effective treatment or vaccine is currently available, the only strategy to reduce the impact of neosporosis in endemic herds is implementation of control programs, based on serological surveillance. This study aimed to determine the optimal timing for serological testing. Sera were collected from 132 heifers at three farms at three months intervals, between the ages 5 and 28 months. Neospora serological status and antibody titers were evaluated by IFAT, and by ELISA on the first sampling. The agreement between ELISA and IFAT results was 89.9 % (Kappa=0.798). Overall Neospora seroprevalence ranged between 36 % and 66 % on different dates. The antibody titers of almost all heifers fluctuated over time. Of 91 heifers that were sampled on 5 occasions, 67 % maintained their serological status throughout the study. Most cases of negative heifers that become positive in one or more tests (19 of 21 heifers) were transient, while only three remained persistently infected in all further tests. Seropositivity was significantly lower in lactating cows than in pregnant cows or heifers. The results of the first sampling date were representative of the overall status on all dates, with an agreement of 94.5 % (Kappa=0.889). The results demonstrate how fluctuations in antibody titers may affect the sensitivity of serological surveillance. Sampling young heifers, prior to their first insemination may be advisable, allowing future discrimination between what appear to be new infection, which is mostly transient, and congenital or chronic infections, which are usually life-long. This information may assist in the implementation of effective control measures in the herd.

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时机决定一切——选择合适的时间对牛群进行新孢子病筛查。

新孢子病是牛流产的主要原因，造成经济损失。由于目前没有有效的治疗方法或疫苗，减少地方性猪群中新孢子病影响的唯一策略是在血清学监测的基础上实施控制规划。本研究旨在确定血清学检测的最佳时机。研究人员在3个农场的132头小母牛身上每隔3个月采集一次血清，年龄在5至28个月之间。新孢子虫血清学状态和抗体滴度在第一次取样时用IFAT和ELISA检测。ELISA与IFAT结果的一致性为89.9 % （Kappa=0.798）。总体新孢子虫血清阳性率在不同日期范围在36% %和66% %之间。几乎所有小母牛的抗体滴度都随时间波动。在5次采样的91头小母牛中，67% %在整个研究过程中保持其血清学状态。在一次或多次检测中呈阳性的大多数阴性小母牛病例（21头小母牛中有19头）是短暂的，而在所有进一步的检测中，只有3头仍然持续感染。泌乳奶牛血清阳性率显著低于妊娠奶牛或小母牛。第一个采样日期的结果代表了所有日期的总体状态，一致性为94.5 % （Kappa=0.889）。结果表明，抗体滴度的波动可能会影响血清学监测的敏感性。在第一次授精之前对小母牛进行抽样可能是可取的，这样可以在将来区分新感染（大多数是短暂的）和先天性或慢性感染（通常是终生的）。这些信息可能有助于在兽群中实施有效的控制措施。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Veterinary parasitology 农林科学-寄生虫学

CiteScore

5.30

自引率

7.70%

发文量

126

审稿时长

36 days

期刊介绍： The journal Veterinary Parasitology has an open access mirror journal,Veterinary Parasitology: X, sharing the same aims and scope, editorial team, submission system and rigorous peer review. This journal is concerned with those aspects of helminthology, protozoology and entomology which are of interest to animal health investigators, veterinary practitioners and others with a special interest in parasitology. Papers of the highest quality dealing with all aspects of disease prevention, pathology, treatment, epidemiology, and control of parasites in all domesticated animals, fall within the scope of the journal. Papers of geographically limited (local) interest which are not of interest to an international audience will not be accepted. Authors who submit papers based on local data will need to indicate why their paper is relevant to a broader readership. Parasitological studies on laboratory animals fall within the scope of the journal only if they provide a reasonably close model of a disease of domestic animals. Additionally the journal will consider papers relating to wildlife species where they may act as disease reservoirs to domestic animals, or as a zoonotic reservoir. Case studies considered to be unique or of specific interest to the journal, will also be considered on occasions at the Editors'' discretion. Papers dealing exclusively with the taxonomy of parasites do not fall within the scope of the journal.