title: A sero-survey of major infectious causes of abortion in small ruminants in Morocco.
abstract: A serological survey was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of 5 major abortive infections in 13 sheep flocks and 10 goat herds in 2 regions of Morocco. A total of 308 from aborted females (202 ewes and 106 does) and 197 sera (97 ewes and 99 does), were tested for brucellosis, chlamydiosis, Q fever, toxoplasmosis, and for 9 major serovars of Leptospira. An average abortion rate of 12.10% was found in ewes and 10.26% in does. The serological analyses revealed the presence of all 5 abortive infections, both in sheep and in goats. Ten (43%) herds/flocks were positive to brucellosis, 21 (91%) to chlamydiosis, 17 (74%) to toxoplasmosis, 13 (57%) to Q fever, and 5 (22%) to leptospirosis. Leptospira spp. serovars Copenhageni and Grypothyphosa were found in a single sheep flock, while Tarassovi and Copenhageni were detected in 4 goat herds. Of the 23 investigated herds/flocks, 22 (96%) showed mixed infections. The findings of this study confirmed the possible involvement of the 5 selected abortive infections in abortion outbreaks occurring in the investigated regions. Further investigations are needed to better understand the aetiology of infectious abortions in herds and flocks within investigated regions.
authors.affiliation: Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Abdelali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benkirane
authors.forename: Soukaina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Essamkaoui
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Idrissi
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lucchese
authors.forename: Alda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Natale
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006041:Goats; D007239:Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies