Sero-epidemiological study of zoonotic bacterial abortifacient agents in small ruminants

• Published in: Frontiers in veterinary science Vol. 10; p. 1195274
• Main Authors: Zeeshan, Muhammad Abid, Ali, Sarmad, Ahmed, Ishtiaq, Rehman, Aziz Ur, Rafique, Muhammad Kamran, Nasir, Amar, Khan, Aman Ullah, Kashif, Muhammad, Mertns-Scholz, Katja, Arshad, Muhammad Imran, Ehtisham-Ul-Haque, Syed, Neubauer, Heinrich
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 28.07.2023
• Subjects: abortion; Brucella; Chlamydia; Coxiella; small ruminants; Veterinary Science; small ruminants; abortion; Chlamydia; Coxiella; Brucella
• ISSN: 2297-1769; 2297-1769
• DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1195274

Abortion is one of the leading causes of economic losses in the livestock industry worldwide. , , and spp. are the leading cause of late fetal loss in small ruminants. This study determined the seroprevalence of these agents in small ruminants in district Jhang. A total of 385 serum samples were taken from the sheep and goats from different flocks with a history of abortion and subjected to i-ELISA. Further, samples were analysed for liver enzymes and total serum protein using a semi-automated chemistry analyzer. The result of indirect commercial ELISA showed 13.0, 4.2 and 11.2% prevalence for , , and spp., respectively. Values of different serum parameters (ALT, AST, and total protein) of seropositive animals were also determined. There was a significant rise in AST and ALT values of infected animals (  ≤ 0.05). Total protein decreased for all three infections, but a significant drop was noted in positive sheep serum samples. Various risk factors were studied. Binary logistic regression proved a significant role of ticks for coxiellosis and brucellosis. Age, parity, and species did not impact the prevalence of diseases studied.