title: [The importance of bovine neosporosis for abortion in Switzerland].
abstract: The protozoan parasite Neospora caninum is one of the most important infectious abortion causes in cattle worldwide. In a Swiss case-control-study we investigated 113 abortion problem farms and 113 control farms. It was possible to detect N. caninum in 21% of 242 investigated aborted fetuses by PCR upon brain samples. Eighty-four % of mothers aborting N. caninum positive fetuses were serologically positive for this parasite. The seroprevalence for N. caninum of all aborting mothers was 44%. Within a period of 3 to 12 months 4,505 cattle from the participating farms were investigated serologically at two different time points. Strong fluctuations of the specific antibody concentration could be observed, resulting in a conversion to seronegativity in the second blood sample in 39% of formerly seropositive animals. Eighteen months after the end of the study, 42 case- and 42 controlfarms were questioned about their present abortion-status. Analysis of the questionnaire revealed that 80% of the former abortion problem farms observed an improvement of the situation. However, in 43% of those farms no preventive measures had been taken and no significant differences in hygiene, forage and animal turnover could be observed between case- and control-farms. Additionally, no significant differences were detected concerning risk factors such as the presence of farm dogs and the disposal procedure for placental and fetal material.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Parasitologie der Universität Bern.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furrer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Audigé
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fritsche
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gottstein
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sager
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D018688:Neospora / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan