Effects of vaccination with Brucella melitensis, strains Rev 1 ΔeryCD and Rev 1, on the reproductive system of young male goats.

The present study evaluates the effects of vaccination with Brucella melitensis strains Rev 1 ΔeryCD and Rev 1 on the reproductive system of male goats. Three groups, each of them consisting of 15 six-month-old brucellosis-free male goats, were studied. The first group was vaccinated with the Rev 1 ΔeryCD strain, the second group received Rev 1 and the third group was inoculated with sterile physiological saline solution. The dose of both strains was of 1×109CFU/ml. Over the course of the five months of this study, three males from each group were euthanized every month. Their reproductive tracts, spleens, and lymph nodes were collected to analyze serology, bacteriology PCR, histology, and immunohistochemistry. Results show that vaccination with B. melitensis strains Rev 1 ΔeryCD and Rev 1 does not harm the reproductive system of male goats. Strain B. melitensis Rev 1 ΔeryCD displayed a lower capacity to colonize the reproductive tract than strain Rev 1, which was attributed to its limited catabolic action toward erythritol.

Spatial autocorrelation and co-occurrence of six serovarieties of Leptospira in goat herds of the State of Guanajuato, Mexico.

The epidemiological behavior of six Leptospira serovarieties was analyzed by spatial autocorrelation and co-occurrence of leptospirosis, diagnosed in goat herds located in the State of Guanajuato, Mexico. A total of 1650 goat serum samples were analyzed by microscopic agglutination (MAT). True prevalence (Pv) and 95% confidence interval (CI95) were determined. Spatial autocorrelation was calculated using the spdep package, applying the global Moran's I and local Moran's I of Leptospira in Guanajuato. The probabilistic model of co-occurrence was applied using the co-occur package. Seroprevalence in the State was found to be 45.5% (CI95 42.96; 48.06%). The highest registered frequency was for the Icterohemorrhagiae serovar (Pv 34.16%; CI95 31.74, 36.65%), followed by the serovar Hardjo-prajitno (Pv: 6.77%; CI95 5.33, 8.40%). Other serovarieties showed a Pv < 5%. Global spatial autocorrelation, only for the Icterohemorrhagiae serovar, was I > 1, while local Moran's I revealed that five of the six Leptospira serovarieties were spatially correlated. The probabilistic model of co-occurrence detected negative associations between Icterohemorrhagiae and the other serovarieties. The current study demonstrates the presence of Leptospira in goat herds of the State of Guanajuato. The diagnosed serovarieties show an aggregation pattern associated to risk zones and disease-transmitting vectors. Antibody co-occurrence analysis revealed dominance of the Icterohemorrhagiae serovar. A multidisciplinary approach including spatial epidemiology, ecological analyses, and serological vigilance will generate useful information for the prevention and control of leptospirosis in caprine production units.

Risk factors associated with the seroprevalence of paratuberculosis in sheep flocks in the hot-arid region of Sonora, México.

Paratuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), a chronic disease of a negative economic impact on sheep production. In the state of Sonora, Mexico, there are no reports on the prevalence of MAP in sheep and risk factors associated with it. The objective of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of MAP and risk factors associated by testing antibody-positive in sheep flocks located in the arid and hot region of Sonora, Mexico. A cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2012 to December 2014, in 43 flocks. Serum samples from 1178 individual sheep were obtained to detect antibodies against MAP by immunodiffusion in agar-gel. During blood sampling, information about animal and flock management risk factors were obtained by applying a questionnaire to the owners. Risk factors associated with seroprevalence of MAP were estimated using binary logistic regression. The true prevalence of MAP was 7.48% (95% CI 5.98, 8.98) and 53.5% of flocks had at least one seropositive animal. An animal was more likely to be seropositive if it was from a large flock (> 300 animals; OR 3.52, 95% CI 1.24, 9.99) and was born outside the farm (OR 6.24; 95% CI 2.9-1, 3.52). This is the first report of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis seroprevalence in sheep, in Sonora, Mexico. Large flocks and the entry of new animals to the flock were critical risk factors associated with MAP seropositivity.