[Endemic and epidemic bovine neosporosis: description of two events in beef cattle]. / Neosporosis epidémica y endémica: descripción de dos eventos en bovinos para cría.

The aim of this study was to describe two events in which Neospora caninum was involved in bovine abortions in beef cattle. In the first event, 11 abortions in 57 heifers were recorded in 45 days. One aborted heifer was 5 times more likely to be seropositive than a non-aborted heifer (OR=4.9; IC 1.2-19.9) (p<0.05). In the second event, no association between serological results and abortions were observed (OR=0,69; 0,06-7,31) (p>0.05). Neither antibodies nor isolation of other pathogens were achieved in any case. On the contrary, antibodies and pathognomonic histopathological lesions were observed in the four fetuses from both cases. Interestingly, the findings in the first event suggest the epidemic behavior of the disease. In contrast, in the second event it appears that few abortions were due to N. caninum, suggesting the presence of endemic neosporosis.

First report of seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in dairy sheep from Humid Pampa, Argentina.

The aim of this study was to describe the occurrence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in dairy sheep from the Humid Pampa region, Argentina. Blood samples from 704 dairy sheep belonging to six flocks were collected. Using a cut off titer of 1:50, an indirect fluorescence antibody test was used. Antibodies to T. gondii or N. caninum were detected in 17.3 % (n = 122) and 3 % (n = 21), respectively. All the flocks had at least one seropositive animal to T. gondii but two of them had no seropositive sheep to N. caninum. Fifty-two of 122 (42.6 %) positive samples to T. gondii had antibody titers higher than 1:400. There was a significantly higher proportion of T. gondii seropositive animals in females and older sheep (p < 0.05). Ten of 21 (52.3 %) positive samples to N. caninum had antibody titers higher than 1:400. This is the first report of seroprevalence of T. gondii and N. caninum in dairy sheep from Humid Pampa, Argentina. Further research is required for a better understanding of the role of toxoplasmosis and neosporosis in dairy sheep in Argentina.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in goats from two Argentinean provinces.

The aim of this study was to compare the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in goats from two Argentinean provinces raised under different management conditions. A total of 2922 serum samples from adult goats of Córdoba (n=2187) and Buenos Aires provinces (n= 735), Argentina, were assayed by indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT, cut-off 1:100) for antibodies to T. gondii and N. caninum. Seroprevalence was 40.8% (CI 39.0%-42.6%) and 5.5% (CI 4.7%-6.4%) for T. gondii and N. caninum, respectively. The seropositivity for both infections was higher in goats from dairy farms, resulting as follows: for T. gondii 32.7% (CI 30.8%-34.8%) in extensive farms and 59.3% (CI 56.1%-62.6%) in dairy farms and for N. caninum 4.1% (CI 3.2%-4.9%) in extensive farms and 8.8% (CI 6.9%-10.7%) in dairy farms. This is the first extensive seroepidemiology investigation for T. gondii and N. caninum in goats in Argentina.

Retrospective analysis of cattle poisoning in Argentina (2000-2013)

A retrospective analysis (2000 to 2013) of cattle poisoning caused by toxic plants and other compounds was carried out in the Pampas region of Argentina by the Animal Health Group of INTA-EEA, Balcarce. During this period, 1263 reports of diseases of different etiologies (infectious, parasitic, toxic, metabolic and miscellaneous) were recorded in cattle, by collecting anamnestic, clinical and pathological information. A toxic etiology was diagnosed in 21.1% of these reports. Iatrogenic poisoning caused by ionophores was the most frequently recorded etiology. Consumption of toxic plants (Wedelia glauca, Solanum glaucophyllum, among others), mycotoxins (Claviceps purpurea, Claviceps paspali, Epichloë coenophiala, among others), and plants producing cyanide and nitrates/nitrites were also commonly diagnosed. The high frequency of toxic episodes and the difficulties in their diagnosis by practitioners in our livestock production systems emphasizes the importance of this report.(AU)

Neosporosis epidémica y endémica: descripción de dos eventos en bovinos para cría / Endemic and epidemic bovine neosporosis: description of two events in beef cattle

El objetivo de este trabajo es describir dos eventos producidos en la provincia de Buenos Aires en los cuales Neospora caninum estuvo asociado a la ocurrencia de abortos en bovinos de cría para carne. En uno de ellos se registraron 11 abortos en 57 vaquillonas durante 45 días, en este evento fue 5 veces más probable que una vaquillona que sufrió un aborto fuera seropositiva a N. caninum que una que no lo sufrió (odds ratio [OR] = 4,9 IC 1,2­19,9) (p<0,05). En el otro evento se registraron 14 abortos en 140 vacas, y no se observó asociación significativa entre los abortos y la seropositividad frente a N. caninum OR = 0,69 (0,06­7,31) (p>0,05). Se analizaron dos fetos de cada evento: estos resultaron negativos a otros patógenos de la reproducción, aunque presentaron anticuerpos específicos y lesiones histopatológicas compatibles con infecciones por N. caninum. Estos resultados sugieren dos posibles modalidades de presentación de abortos en bovinos causados por N. caninum: una epidémica, como la del primer evento aquí referido, y una endémica, como la del segundo

The aim of this study was to describe two events in which Neospora caninum was involved in bovine abortions in beef cattle. In the first event, 11 abortions in 57 heifers were recorded in 45 days. One aborted heifer was 5 times more likely to be seropositive than a non-aborted heifer (OR=4.9; IC 1.2­19.9) (p<0.05). In the second event, no association between serological results and abortions were observed (OR= 0,69; 0,06­7,31) (p>0.05). Neither antibodies nor isolation of other pathogens were achieved in any case. On the contrary, antibodies and pathognomonic histopathological lesions were observed in the four fetuses from both cases. Interestingly, the findings in the first event suggest the epidemic behavior of the disease. In contrast, in the second event it appears that few abortions were due to N. caninum, suggesting the presence of endemic neosporosis