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Rhodes V, Hayes CJ, Sánchez‐Miguel C, O'Donovan J, Ryan EG. An investigation into bovine besnoitiosis (
Besnoitia besnoiti
) in an Irish pedigree Aberdeen Angus herd. VETERINARY RECORD CASE REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/vrc2.379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Rhodes
- Section of Herd Health and Animal Husbandry School of Veterinary Medicine University College Dublin Belfield Dublin Ireland
| | - Ciara J. Hayes
- Cork Regional Veterinary Laboratory Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine Cork Ireland
| | - Cosme Sánchez‐Miguel
- Cork Regional Veterinary Laboratory Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine Cork Ireland
| | - James O'Donovan
- Cork Regional Veterinary Laboratory Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine Cork Ireland
| | - Eoin G. Ryan
- Section of Herd Health and Animal Husbandry School of Veterinary Medicine University College Dublin Belfield Dublin Ireland
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Grisez C, Bottari L, Prévot F, Alzieu JP, Liénard E, Corbière F, Rameil M, Desclaux X, Lacz C, Boulon C, Petermann J, Le Mével J, Vilardell C, Jacquiet P. Real-time PCR on skin biopsies for super-spreaders' detection in bovine besnoitiosis. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:529. [PMID: 33092627 PMCID: PMC7579852 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04405-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bovine besnoitiosis, an emerging disease in Europe that can be transmitted by vectors, is caused by the apicomplexan Besnoitia besnoiti. Bovine besnoitiosis is difficult to control due to the complexity of its diagnosis in the acute stage of the disease, poor treatment success and chronically asymptomatic cattle acting as parasite reservoirs. When serological prevalence is low, detection and specific culling of seropositive cattle is feasible; however, economic considerations preclude this approach when serological prevalence is high. The aims of this study were to evaluate the accuracy of detection of super-spreaders in highly infected herds and to test their selective elimination as a new control strategy for bovine besnoitiosis. Methods Previous real-time PCR analyses performed on skin tissues from 160 asymptomatic animals sampled at slaughterhouses showed that the tail base was the best location to evaluate the dermal parasite DNA load. All seropositive animals (n = 518) from eight dairy or beef cattle farms facing a high serological prevalence of besnoitiosis were sampled at the tail base and their skin sample analysed by real-time PCR. A recommendation of rapid and selective culling of super-spreaders was formulated and provided to the cattle breeders. Subsequent serological monitoring of naïve animals was used to evaluate the interest of this control strategy over time. Results Among the 518 seropositive animals, a low proportion of individuals (14.5%) showed Cq values below 36, 17.8% had doubtful results (36 < Cq ≤ 40) and 67.8% had negative PCR results. These proportions were grossly similar on the eight farms, regardless of their production type (beef or dairy cattle), size, geographical location or history of besnoitiosis. Within two weeks of the biopsy, the rapid culling of super-spreaders was implemented on only three farms. The numbers of newly infected animals were lower on these farms compared to those where super-spreaders were maintained in the herd. Conclusions Real-time PCR analyses performed on skin biopsies of seropositive cattle showed huge individual variabilities in parasite DNA load. The rapid culling of individuals considered as super-spreaders seems to be a new and encouraging strategy for bovine besnoitiosis control.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Grisez
- UMR INRA/DGER 1225, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 chemin des Capelles, 31076, Toulouse Cedex 03, France.
| | - Leslie Bottari
- UMR INRA/DGER 1225, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 chemin des Capelles, 31076, Toulouse Cedex 03, France
| | - Françoise Prévot
- UMR INRA/DGER 1225, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 chemin des Capelles, 31076, Toulouse Cedex 03, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Alzieu
- LVD 09, Laboratoire Départemental de l'Ariège, rue de Las Escoumes, 09008, Foix CDIS, France
| | - Emmanuel Liénard
- UMR INTHERES/DGER, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 chemin des Capelles, 31076, Toulouse Cedex 3, France
| | - Fabien Corbière
- UMR INRA/DGER 1225, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 chemin des Capelles, 31076, Toulouse Cedex 03, France
| | - Marie Rameil
- LVD 09, Laboratoire Départemental de l'Ariège, rue de Las Escoumes, 09008, Foix CDIS, France
| | - Xavier Desclaux
- LVD 09, Laboratoire Départemental de l'Ariège, rue de Las Escoumes, 09008, Foix CDIS, France
| | - Christophe Lacz
- FRGDS Occitanie, 96, rue des agriculteurs - BP 102, 81003, Albi Cedex, France
| | | | - Julie Petermann
- GDMA Indre, 4 Rue Robert Mallet-Stevens, 36000, Châteauroux, France
| | - Jeanne Le Mével
- UMR INRA/DGER 1225, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 chemin des Capelles, 31076, Toulouse Cedex 03, France
| | - Carine Vilardell
- GDS des Alpes de Haute Provence, 66 Boulevard Gassendi, 04000, Digne-les-Bains, France
| | - Philippe Jacquiet
- UMR INRA/DGER 1225, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 chemin des Capelles, 31076, Toulouse Cedex 03, France
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Abdulai-Saiku S, Tong WH, Vyas A. Sexual Transmission of Cyst-Forming Coccidian Parasites with Complex Life Cycles. CURRENT SEXUAL HEALTH REPORTS 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11930-017-0133-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Gutiérrez-Expósito D, Ferre I, Ortega-Mora LM, Álvarez-García G. Advances in the diagnosis of bovine besnoitiosis: current options and applications for control. Int J Parasitol 2017; 47:737-751. [PMID: 28893637 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Bovine besnoitiosis, which is caused by the tissue cyst-forming intracellular parasite Besnoitia besnoiti, is a chronic and debilitating disease that is responsible for severe economic losses in the cattle raised under extensive husbandry systems. The absence of vaccines, treatments or a health scheme at local, national and international levels has led to a rapid spread of bovine besnoitiosis from western Europe towards eastern countries and northwards. Moreover, this parasitic disease is widely present in many sub-Saharan countries. Thus, bovine besnoitiosis should be included in the animal health scheme of beef cattle herds. Accurate diagnostic tools and common diagnostic procedures are mandatory in any control programme. Relevant advances have been made in this field during the last decade. Succeeding with accurate diagnosis relies on the technique employed and the antibody and parasite kinetics of the infection stage, which may notably influence control programmes and surveillance. Moreover, control programmes should be adapted to the epidemiological status of the disease, as the disease presentation in a herd has important implications for prospective control. Herein, we review the clinical disease presentation of bovine besnoitiosis and the correlation between its clinical course and laboratory parameters. We also provide an update on the available diagnostic tools, discuss their strengths and pitfalls, and provide guidelines for their use in control, surveillance and epidemiological studies. A rational control strategy is also recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gutiérrez-Expósito
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Ferre
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis M Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Álvarez-García
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Serological dynamics and risk factors of Besnoitia besnoiti infection in breeding bulls from an endemically infected purebred beef herd. Parasitol Res 2017; 116:1383-1393. [PMID: 28283798 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5418-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Bovine besnoitiosis has been deemed a re-emerging disease in Western Europe and considered endemic in Spain, Portugal, France and in some areas of Northern Italy. This report refers to an infection outbreak in a purebred beef herd from Northern Italy involving a large number of bulls. In October 2013, 544 animals were serologically tested with an in-house ELISA followed by a confirmatory Western blot to evaluate Besnoitia besnoiti seroprevalence. A year later, 461 animals were then serologically re-tested together with imported animals (n = 268). Overall, 812 animals were involved in the study. Histology and immunohistochemistry were performed on skin biopsies of suspected animals and several tissue samples from a slaughtered bull. In the first sampling, 100 animals were seropositive (18.4%); in the second sampling, prevalence increased up to 36.5%, with incidence calculated at 39.6%. The risk factor analysis revealed that the infection was associated with age (OR = 1.007) and sex, with males presenting a greater risk (OR = 2.006). In fact, prevalence values in bulls increased from 29.6 to 56.7%, with an incidence of infection of 53.3%. Moreover, mating with a seropositive bull enhanced infection risk for a seronegative cow (OR = 1.678). Clinical signs typical of bovine besnoitiosis were found in seven seropositive animals, with confirmation of B. besnoiti through histology and immunohistochemistry. The study outcomes confirm that bovine besnoitiosis is a disease with serious economic impact on beef cattle breeding, particularly on bulls in service. Good management practises such as clinical monitoring and serological testing of imported animals should be implemented to control its occurrence.
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Esteban-Gil A, Calvete C, Casasús I, Sanz A, Ferrer J, Peris M, Marcén-Seral J, Castillo J. Epidemiological patterns of bovine besnoitiosis in an endemic beef cattle herd reared under extensive conditions. Vet Parasitol 2017; 236:14-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Ryan EG, Lee A, Carty C, O'Shaughnessy J, Kelly P, Cassidy JP, Sheehan M, Johnson A, de Waal T. Bovine besnoitiosis (Besnoitia besnoiti
) in an Irish dairy herd. Vet Rec 2016; 178:608. [DOI: 10.1136/vr.103683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. G. Ryan
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield; Dublin 4 Republic of Ireland
| | - A. Lee
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield; Dublin 4 Republic of Ireland
| | - C. Carty
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield; Dublin 4 Republic of Ireland
| | - J. O'Shaughnessy
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield; Dublin 4 Republic of Ireland
| | - P. Kelly
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield; Dublin 4 Republic of Ireland
| | - J. P. Cassidy
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield; Dublin 4 Republic of Ireland
| | - M. Sheehan
- Kilkenny Regional Veterinary Laboratory; Department of Agriculture; Food and the Marine; Kilkenny Republic of Ireland
| | - A. Johnson
- Limerick Regional Veterinary Laboratory; Department of Agriculture; Food and the Marine; Limerick Republic of Ireland
| | - T. de Waal
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield; Dublin 4 Republic of Ireland
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Does bovine besnoitiosis affect the sexual function of chronically infected bulls? Theriogenology 2016; 86:1325-32. [PMID: 27264738 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.04.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Revised: 04/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
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.
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Characterization of an outbreak of emerging bovine besnoitiosis in southwestern Spain. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:2887-92. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5050-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Liénard E, Pop L, Prevot F, Grisez C, Mallet V, Raymond-Letron I, Bouhsira É, Franc M, Jacquiet P. Experimental infections of rabbits with proliferative and latent stages of Besnoitia besnoiti. Parasitol Res 2015; 114:3815-26. [PMID: 26143866 PMCID: PMC4562009 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4612-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cattle besnoitiosis due to Besnoitia besnoiti is spreading across Europe and is responsible for severe economic losses in newly infected herds. Experimentally speaking, rabbits have been found to be susceptible to this parasite. The adaptation of B. besnoiti to rabbits may offer a new, easier and cheaper model of investigation for this disease. This study compared the virulence between tachyzoites and bradyzoites of B. besnoiti in rabbits. Eighteen New Zealand rabbits were allocated into three groups of six animals each. The rabbits from the control (group C), "tachyzoite" (group T) and "bradyzoite" (group B) groups were subcutaneously injected in the right flank with 66 μg of ovalbumin, 6.10(6) tachyzoites (125th passage on Vero cells) and 6.10(6) bradyzoites (collected from a natural infected cow) of B. besnoiti, respectively. Clinical follow-up and blood sampling for serological survey and qPCR were performed during 10 weeks until euthanasia. Molecular and immunohistochemistry examination was achieved on 25 samples of tissue per rabbit. Seroconversion occurred in group T without any clinical signs. Rabbits of group B exhibited a febrile condition (temperature above 40 °C from day 8 to day 11 following injection) with positive qPCR in blood. Cysts of B. besnoiti were found on skin samples and organs of rabbits from group B in tissue explored with threshold cycle (Ct) values below 30. These results suggest a higher virulence of bradyzoites in rabbits than Vero cell-cultivated tachyzoites. The proposed model could be used to assess the in vivo effectiveness of vaccine or drugs against cattle besnoitiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Liénard
- UMR INRA/DGER 1225, INP - École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Laboratoire de Parasitologie, 23 chemin des Capelles, F-31076, Toulouse, France,
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Talafha AQ, Al-Majali AM, Ababneh MM, Abutarbush SM. Epidemiologic study on Besnoitia besnoiti infection in dairy herds in Jordan. Parasitol Res 2015; 114:2491-7. [PMID: 25843571 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4448-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Besnoitia besnoiti is an apicomplexan parasite and the causative agent of bovine besnoitiosis which is considered as a re-emergent disease in Europe. A cross-sectional serological study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and to identify risk factors associated with B. besnoiti infection in 68 dairy herds (n = 806 cows) in Jordan during the period from January to June 2007 and the spring of 2014. Data regarding herd's management was obtained by filling questionnaires through personal interviews with farmers. An indirect ELISA test was used to detect antibodies against B. besnoiti. Chi-square analysis and multivariable logistic regression model were used to identify risk factors associated with seropositivity to B. besnoiti. At the individual cow and herd level, the true prevalence of seropositive animals was 6 and 28.7 %, respectively. Cows between 2 and 6 years of age had significantly higher seroprevalence of B. besnoiti than other age groups. The highest seroprevalence of B. besnoiti was found in Zarqa and Irbid governorates. Multivariable logistic regression model identified that exchanging visits by farm workers to neighboring farms as a risk factor for seropositivity to B. besnoiti, while smaller herd size and twice a day farm cleaning using sweeping and water hosing were identified as protective factors. This is the first study that investigated the seroprevalence of B. besnoiti infection in dairy herds in Jordan. Further studies are warranted to explore the clinical manifestation of B. besnoiti infection as well as to identify the possible presence of other Besnoitia species and definitive hosts for the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelsalam Q Talafha
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan,
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Fthenakis GC, Mavrogianni VS, Gallidis E, Papadopoulos E. Interactions between parasitic infections and reproductive efficiency in sheep. Vet Parasitol 2015; 208:56-66. [PMID: 25577675 PMCID: PMC7130998 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This review article summarises the many reports in the literature, confirming that, in sheep, parasitic infections can adversely affect reproductive efficiency; examples, which refer to all parts of the reproductive cycle of sheep, are as follows: trichostrongylosis in ewe-lambs (which can lead to delayed attainment of puberty), myiosis of the prepuce (which can cause impediment of mating), chorioptic mange or trypanosomosis in rams (which can lead to testicular degeneration or azoospermia, respectively), trypanosomosis or sarcoptic mange in pre-conceptual ewes (which can lead to poor conception rates or reduced number of ovulations, respectively), toxoplasmosis or neosporosis in pregnant ewes (which are causes of abortion), trichostrongylosis or trematode infections in lactating ewes (which can cause reduction of milk yield and can be a risk factor for mastitis, respectively), cryptosporidiosis in newborn lambs (which can be a cause of deaths), coccidiosis in growing pre-weaned lambs (which can cause suboptimal growth rate). In other cases, the reproductive status of the animal can influence the parasitic infection; examples are as follows: the increase in faecal parasitic output during the peri-parturient period (as a consequence of the peri-parturient relaxation of immunity), the heavier trichostrongylid infections of twin lambs compared to lambs from single parities (as a consequence of developmental origin issues in twin lambs). All the above examples support the idea of presence of interactions between parasitic infections and reproductive efficiency in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- G C Fthenakis
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece.
| | - V S Mavrogianni
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
| | - E Gallidis
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - E Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
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Gazzonis AL, Alvarez Garcia G, Zanzani SA, Garippa G, Rossi L, Maggiora M, Dini V, Invernizzi A, Luini M, Tranquillo VM, Ortega Mora L, Manfredi MT. Besnoitia besnoiti among cattle in insular and northwestern Italy: endemic infection or isolated outbreaks? Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:585. [PMID: 25491281 PMCID: PMC4271444 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0585-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the apicomplexan Besnoitia besnoiti, is a chronic and debilitating disease considered as emerging in Europe. In Spain, Portugal and France it is endemic and foci of infection were recorded in Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Greece and Italy. In Italy, cases of bovine besnoitiosis were registered both in imported and autochthonous cattle, and mostly in central regions; high seroprevalence was also revealed by an epidemiological survey performed in the southern part of the country. Aiming to update information on the disease in northwestern and insular areas of Italy, where data on bovine besnoitiosis were missing, a serosurvey was designed for the present study. METHODS Three thousand one hundred and forty bovine blood samples from both dairy and beef farms (n = 126) were collected in northwestern regions (Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria) and in the island of Sardinia. Samples were analyzed by a standardized in-house ELISA and those resulted positive were re-tested by Western Blot (WB) for confirmation. On results obtained by both ELISA and WB, apparent (AP) and true prevalence (TP) were calculated at individual and herd levels. Further, a panel of sera resulted positive to ELISA was analyzed by IFAT. RESULTS A total of 712 animals (AP = 22.7%; TP = 18.8%) and 109 farms (AP = 86.5%; TP = 88.2%) showed a positive reaction in ELISA. Only ten (AP = 0.3%; TP = 0%) specimens proceeding from five farms (AP = 3.9%; TP = 1.7%) from Lombardy were confirmed positive to the WB, corresponding to two Holstein Friesian cows and eight beef cattle. IFAT showed a low sensitivity (44.4%) scoring positive in only four samples out of 9 positive to WB. CONCLUSIONS The survey demonstrated that bovine besnoitiosis cannot still be considered endemic in whole Italy. In fact, independent foci of infection were registered only in Lombardy region. Therefore, a sanitary strategy aimed to increase control measures and to organize monitoring plans, by adequate diagnostic tools is necessary to avoid overestimation of B. besnoiti in Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia L Gazzonis
- Department of Veterinary Science and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | - Gema Alvarez Garcia
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Sergio A Zanzani
- Department of Veterinary Science and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Garippa
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
| | - Luca Rossi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - Marco Maggiora
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - Valter Dini
- Health Veterinary Service, A.S.L. Savonese 2, Savona, Italy.
| | - Anna Invernizzi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Milan, Italy.
| | - Mario Luini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Lodi, Italy.
| | - Vito M Tranquillo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Bergamo, Italy.
| | - Luis Ortega Mora
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Maria Teresa Manfredi
- Department of Veterinary Science and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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