Toxoplasma gondii is not an important contributor to poor reproductive performance of primiparous ewes from southern Australia: a prospective cohort study.
BMC Vet Res
; 18(1): 109, 2022 Mar 19.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35305646
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Toxoplasma gondii causes reproductive losses in sheep worldwide, including Australia. The reproductive performance of primiparous ewes is typically lower than for mature, multiparous ewes, and younger ewes are more likely to be immunologically naïve and therefore more susceptible to reproductive disease if T. gondii infection occurs during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of infection with T. gondii on the reproductive performance of primiparous ewes in southern Australia using a prospective cohort study. This will inform the need for targeted control strategies for T. gondii in Australian sheep.RESULTS:
Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity using indirect ELISA was detected at 16/28 farms located across southern Australia. Apparent seropositivity to T. gondii was lower in primiparous ewes (1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.6, 1.8) compared to mature, multiparous ewes (8.1, 95% CI 6.0, 10.5; P < 0.001). Toxoplasma gondii seroconversion during the gestation and lambing period was confirmed for 11/1097 (1.0, 95% CI 0.5, 1.7) of pregnant primiparous ewes that failed to raise a lamb, and 1/161 (0.6, 95% CI 0.1, 2.9) primiparous ewes with confirmed mid-pregnancy abortion.CONCLUSIONS:
Low frequency of detection of T. gondii seroconversion during gestation and low frequency of seropositivity to T. gondii suggests that toxoplasmosis was not an important contributor to reproductive losses in primiparous ewes on farms located over a wide geographical area in southern Australia.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Sheep Diseases
/
Toxoplasma
/
Toxoplasmosis, Animal
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Animals
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
Country/Region as subject:
Oceania
Language:
En
Journal:
BMC Vet Res
Journal subject:
MEDICINA VETERINARIA
Year:
2022
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: