Prevalencia y factores de riesgo asociados a las enfermedades de transmisión sexual en bovinos de la provincia de La Pampa, Argentina

La tricomonosis bovina (TB) y campylobacteriosis genital bovina (CGB) son enfermedades de transmisión sexual (ETS) que causan muerte embrionaria temprana, infertilidad transitoria y abortos, impactando en el rendimiento reproductivo de los rodeos. El objetivo del presente estudio fue estimar la prevalencia general y por zonas fitogeográficas (Z1: Este pampeana, Z2: Monte central Z3: Monte occidental), así como los factores de riesgo asociados a ambas enfermedades en la provincia de La Pampa, Argentina. Se realizó un estudio transversal entre enero y diciembre del 2006 que abarcó a 4018 propietarios de rodeos con un stock de 684116 vacas y 33969 toros (54% y 51,5% del stock provincial, respectivamente). Se detectaron 622 (15,5%) rodeos con al menos 1 toro positivo a TB y/o CGB. Las prevalencias halladas fueron de 2,15% (Z1:1,62%; Z2:1,90%; Z3:4,61%) y 2,36% (Z1:2,08%; Z2: 2,28%; Z3: 3,51%) para TB y CGB, respectivamente. Los factores de riesgo asociados a la presencia de ETS fueron: traspaso de animales vecinos al establecimiento (Odds Ratio – OR = 1,8; Intervalo de Confianza-IC: 1,5-2,2) realización de servicio continuo (OR=1,3; IC: 1,1-1,6), productores que no realizan el tacto rectal (OR=1,2; IC: 1,0-1,5) y alta relación vaca/toro (χ2 =35,1, p=<0,0001). Asimismo, las ETS se relacionaron con presencia de abortos (OR=1,3; IC: 1,0-1,7) y bajo porcentaje de preñez (OR=1,8; IC: 1,3-2,6). Este estudio provee información de interés para ser utilizada en los planes de control y erradicación en áreas en donde las ETS son de carácter endémico.Bovine Tricomonosis (BT) and Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis (BGC) are sexual transmission diseases (STD) that produce early embryonic death, transitory infertility and abortion, impacting on livestock reproductive performance. The objective of the study was to estimate the global and specific prevalence by phytogeography area (Z1: East Pampeana, Z2: Central Forest, Z3. West Forest) as well as the risk factor associated to both diseases in La Pampa province, Argentina. A cross sectional study was carried out between January and December 2006 which included 4018 farmers having a stock of 684116 cows and 33969 bulls (54% and 51.5% of the provincial stock, respectively). Six hundred and twenty two (15.5%) cattle herds were detected with at least one bull positive for TB and / or CGB. Prevalence was 2.15% (Z1: 1.62%, Z2: 1.90%, Z3: 4.61%) and 2.36% (Z1: 2.08%; Z2: 2.28%; Z3: 3.51%) for BT and BGC, respectively. Risk factors associated with the presence of STD were: Passage of bulls from in-contact herds (Odds ratio OR=1,8; Confidence Intervals-IC: 1,5-2,2), no defined breeding season (OR=1,3; IC: 1,1-1,6), farmers who do not detect pregnancy by rectal examination (OR=1,2; IC: 1,0-1,5) and high cows/bulls ratio (χ2 =35,1, p=<0,0001). Moreover, STD were related to abortion (OR=1.3; IC: 1.0-1.7) and low pregnancy rate (OR=1.8; IC: 1.3-2.6). This study provided information to use by control programs and erradication in a region where these diseases are considered to be endemic.EEA AnguilFil: Miranda, Ariel Omar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Anguil; ArgentinaFil: Fort, Marcelo Cristian. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Anguil; ArgentinaFil: Fuchs, Lumila Ivana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Anguil; ArgentinaFil: Baldone, Valeria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Anguil; ArgentinaFil: Gimenez, Hugo Daniel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Anguil; ArgentinaFil: Carné, L. Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria. Centro Regional La Pampa-San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Sago, Adrián Miguel. Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria. Centro Regional La Pampa-San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Otermin, H. Colegio Veterinario de la provincia de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Dubié, D. Colegio Veterinario de la provincia de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Goyeneche, P. Provincia de La Pampa. Subsecretaría Agricultura; ArgentinaFil: Campero, Carlos Manuel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina

Prevalence and spatial distribution of bovine brucellosis in San Luis and La Pampa, Argentina

Background: Bovine brucellosis (BB) is a zoonotic disease caused by Brucella abortus. BB is endemic in Argentina, where vaccination with Brucella abortus strain 19 is compulsory for 3-to-8 month-old heifers. The objectives of this study were to quantify the prevalence of BB and to identify factors associated with its occurrence, along with the spatial distribution of the disease, in the provinces of La Pampa and San Luis. A two-stage random sampling design was used to sample 8,965 cows (3,513 in La Pampa and 5,452 in San Luis) from 451 farms (187 in La Pampa and 264 in San Luis). Results: Cow and herd prevalence were 1.8 % (95 % CI: 1.3–2.2; n = 157) and 19.7 % (95 % CI: 17.0–22.4; n = 89), respectively. Both cow-level and herd-level prevalence in La Pampa (2.4 and 26.0 %, respectively) were significantly higher than in San Luis (1.4 and 15.5 %, respectively). There were not differences between the proportions of reactive cattle compared to that obtained in a survey conducted in 2005. However, herd prevalence in La Pampa was significantly (P < 0.05) higher compared to that study. Disease was found to be spatially clustered in west La Pampa. The lower the bovine density and the calf/cow ratio, the higher odds of belonging to the cluster. Conclusions: The increase of farm prevalence in the last five years suggests that the disease is spreading and that control measures should be applied in the region. The cluster of infected farms was located in the west region of La Pampa. There, farms have lower animal densities and smaller cow/calf indices compared to the rest of the province. Although western La Pampa has more infected herds, within-farm prevalence was not higher, which suggests that the control program has been relatively successful in controlling the disease at the farm level, and/or that low animal density inherently results in low disease prevalence. Our results provide baseline information on the epidemiology of BB and its potential pattern of transmission in Argentina, which will ultimately help to improve BB control programs in the country.Instituto de PatobiologíaFil: Aznar, Maria Natalia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología. Area de Patología, Epidemiología y Medicina Preventiva; Argentina. University of Liege. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases. Research Unit of Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences; BelgicaFil: Linares, Facundo José. Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria. Dirección Nacional de Sanidad Animal. Dirección de Epidemiología y Análisis de Riesgo; ArgentinaFil: Cosentino, Bernardo. Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria. Dirección Nacional de Sanidad Animal. Dirección de Epidemiología y Análisis de Riesgo; ArgentinaFil: Sago, Adrián Miguel. Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria. Centro Regional La Pampa-San Luis; ArgentinaFil: La Sala, Luciano Francisco. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Bioquímica y Farmacia. Cátedra de Parasitología Cínica. Departamento de Biología; ArgentinaFil: Leon, Eduardo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología. Area de Patología, Epidemiología y Medicina Preventiva; ArgentinaFil: Duffy, Sergio. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Centro de Estudios Cuantitativos en Sanidad Animal; ArgentinaFil: Perez, Andrés. University of Minnesota. College of Veterinary Medicine. Department of Veterinary Population Medicine; Estados Unido