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Guesmi K, Kalthoum S, Mamlouk A, Baccar MN, BelHajMohamed B, Hajlaoui H, Toumi A, Cherni J, Seghaier C, Messadi L. Seroprevalence of zoonotic abortive diseases and their associated risk factors in Tunisian sheep. BMC Vet Res 2023; 19:50. [PMID: 36793037 PMCID: PMC9930233 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-022-03541-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abortion is a serious problem for sheep flocks and it is responsible for considerable economic losses. The epidemiological situation of abortion causing agents in sheep is poorly documented in Tunisia. This study aims to investigate the status of three abortion causing agents (Brucella spp, Toxoplasma gondii, and Coxiella burnetii) among organized flocks in Tunisia. RESULTS A total of 793 sample blood collected from twenty-six flocks in seven governorates in Tunisia, were tested by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) for antibodies against three abortion causing agents (Brucella spp, Toxoplasma gondii, and Coxiella burnetii). Risk factors for individual-level seroprevalence were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Results revealed that 19.7%, 17.2%, and 16.1% of the tested sera were positive for toxoplasmosis, Q fever, and brucellosis, respectively. Mixed infection was found in all the flocks with 3 to 5 responsible abortive agents simultaneously. Logistic regression showed that the management practices (control of new introduction, common grazing and watering point, workers exchange, presence of lambing box on the farm) and the history of infertility and the presence of abortion in neighboring flocks were likely to increase the probability of being infected by the three abortive agents. CONCLUSIONS Evidence of the positive relationship between seroprevalence of abortion causing agents and several risk factors, suggests further investigations to better understand the etiology of infectious abortions in flocks to develop an applicable preventive and control program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaouther Guesmi
- National Center for Zoosanitary Vigilance, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, 38 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082, Tunis, Tunisia.
| | - Sana Kalthoum
- grid.436884.50000 0004 0601 1915National Center for Zoosanitary Vigilance, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, 38 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Aymen Mamlouk
- grid.424444.60000 0001 1103 8547Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institution of Agricultural Research and Higher Education, National School of Veterinary Medicine, Univ. Manouba, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Naceur Baccar
- grid.436884.50000 0004 0601 1915National Center for Zoosanitary Vigilance, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, 38 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Bassem BelHajMohamed
- grid.436884.50000 0004 0601 1915National Center for Zoosanitary Vigilance, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, 38 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Haikel Hajlaoui
- grid.436884.50000 0004 0601 1915National Center for Zoosanitary Vigilance, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, 38 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Aymen Toumi
- grid.436884.50000 0004 0601 1915State-owned Land Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Jamel Cherni
- grid.436884.50000 0004 0601 1915National Center for Zoosanitary Vigilance, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, 38 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Chédia Seghaier
- grid.436884.50000 0004 0601 1915National Center for Zoosanitary Vigilance, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, 38 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Lilia Messadi
- grid.424444.60000 0001 1103 8547Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institution of Agricultural Research and Higher Education, National School of Veterinary Medicine, Univ. Manouba, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
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