Investigação da associação entre a soropositividade para Neospora caninum e distúrbios reprodutivos em Vacas Girolandos no Setor de Bovinocultura de Leite da UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ

Abstract

Bovine neosporosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Neospora caninum. The parasite has a worldwide distribution and mainly affects the dairy cattle herd, although, reported in beef cattle, being described as one of the main causes of abortion in cattle. It is of great relevance in cattle breeding, since the presence of the etiological agent is associated with bovine abortion worldwide, thus promoting direct and indirect economic losses. It can cause early embryonic death, fetal abortion or mummification, stillbirths and neonates with neurological symptomatology. This study was carried out in the Dairy Cattle Facility of the UFRRJ, located in the city of Seropédica-RJ, where blood samples were collected from 40 dairy cows in reproductive age from cranial superfial epigastric vein, and the tested by indirect immunofluorescence (RIFI) for detection of anti-N.caninum antibodies. The serology was performed at the Laboratório de Coccidios e Coccidioses (LCC) of UFRRJ. From the serological results, we verified the association or not with the manifestation of reproductive disorders, analyzed through the collection of data from the records of reproductive history from 2017 to 2018 and observations of the herd in the course of the study. The Chi-square test was used as a statistical model to verify the existence of an association between serology and reproductive disorders, adopting a confidence level of 95%. The results of the study show a seroprevalence in the herd of 27% (11/40) for N. caninum, however, after statistical analysis, the association between seropositivity and reproductive disturbances in the evaluated herd was not confirmed. Although the studied population is infected with N. caninum, we can infer that N. caninum antibodies present in Giroland dairy cows of the dairy cattle sector of the UFRRJ are not associated with the occurrence of reproductive disorders