Does bovine besnoitiosis affect the sexual function of chronically infected bulls?
Bovine besnoitiosis is a reemerging disease in Europe. The clinically Besnoitia besnoiti infection in bulls is characterized by fever, nasal discharge, and orchitis in the acute phase and by scleroderma in the chronic phase. However, in many bulls, B besnoiti infection remains at a subclinical stage. Bull infertility is an economically relevant consequence of besnoitiosis infection. It is not clear, however, if semen quality returns to normal levels when infected animals have clinically recovered. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between chronic besnoitiosis and bull sexual function in a region of eastern France, where the disease is reemerging, by comparing semen quality and genital lesions in 11 uninfected, 17 subclinically infected, and 12 clinically infected bulls. The presence of anti-B besnoiti antibodies was detected by Western blot test. Semen was collected by electroejaculation. Bulls clinically infected with B besnoiti showed significantly more genital tract alterations than uninfected or subclinically infected bulls. No relationship was evidenced between besnoitiosis infectious status and semen quality, whereas a significant relationship was noted between genital lesions and semen score. This means that in the absence of moderate to severe genital lesions, chronic bovine besnoitiosis is unlikely to alter semen quality. However, as the presence of infected animals could lead to spread of the disease, culling or separation of clinically infected bulls from the remaining healthy animals is strongly recommended.
Animal Pathology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
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Esteban-Gil
IHAP, Université de Toulouse, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse cedex 03, France.
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Jacquiet
Université de Toulouse, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse cedex 03, France.
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Florentin
Université de Toulouse, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse cedex 03, France.
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Decaudin
Université de Toulouse, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse cedex 03, France.
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Berthelot
Université de Toulouse, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse cedex 03, France.
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Ronsin
IHAP, Université de Toulouse, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse cedex 03, France.
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Grisez
IHAP, Université de Toulouse, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse cedex 03, France.
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Prevot
Laboratoire vétérinaire départemental de l'Ariège, Foix CDIS, France.
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Alzieu
Groupement de Défense Sanitaire des Alpes de Haute-Provence (GDS 04), Digne, France.
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Marois
Fédération Régionale des Groupements de Défense Sanitaire, Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur, Manosque, France.
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Corboz
Fédération Régionale des Groupements de Défense Sanitaire, Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur, Manosque, France.
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Peglion
Groupement de Défense Sanitaire des Alpes de Haute-Provence (GDS 04), Digne, France.
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Vilardell
IHAP, Université de Toulouse, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse cedex 03, France.
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Liénard
IHAP, Université de Toulouse, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse cedex 03, France.
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Bouhsira
Animal Pathology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
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Castillo
IHAP, Université de Toulouse, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse cedex 03, France.
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Franc
Unité Mixte de Recherche 1331, Toxalim, Université de Toulouse, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse cedex 03, France. Electronic address: n.hagen-picard@envt.fr.
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Picard-Hagen
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
Bovine besnoitiosis; Bull; Genital lesion; Semen; Sexual function