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A live, infectious vaccine candidate for epizootic bovine abortion, designated EBAA Vaccine, USDA-APHIS Product code #1544.00, has been reported to be both safe and effective. Previous studies established that a single dose of EBAA vaccine administered to cows at potencies of either 2000 or 500 live P. abortibovis-infected murine spleen cells (P.a.-LIC) induced protective immunity for a minimum of 5 months. The current study employed 19 pregnant cows that were challenged with P. abortibovis in their 2nd trimester of gestation; 9 were vaccinated 17.2-months earlier as 1-year-olds with 2000 P.a.-LIC and 10 served as negative controls. Eighty-nine percent of the vaccinates gave birth to healthy calves as compared to 10% of challenge controls. Vaccine efficacy was significant when analyzed by prevented fractions (87.7%; 95% CI=0.4945-0.9781). Serologic data supports previous findings that pregnant cows with detectable P. abortibovis antibodies are immune to P. abortibovis challenge as demonstrated by the birth of healthy calves., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The author declared no conflicts of interest. The vaccine will not be produced for commercial distribution by either University of California or University of Nevada nor are there monetary incentives to authors or their institutions in association with potential vaccine sales., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Border disease virus (BDV) is a member of the pestivirus genus that primarily affects sheep, causing reproductive losses through abortion, still births and the birth of weak lambs. The key characteristic of this disease is the birth of persistently infected (PI) lambs which, after surviving transplacental infection, are born antibody negative, yet virus positive, and thus shed the virus for their entire life and are the primary source of spread within a flock. The cornerstones of BDV control are detection and elimination of PI animals, biosecurity measures to prevent re-infection, and surveillance programs. Recommendations for the control of BDV in sheep are centred around the approach to bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV), the prominent cattle pestivirus species, due to a lack of specific research into BDV control and elimination. In this study, two aspects of a BDV control program were investigated: the effectiveness of the BVDV vaccine, Pestigard®, and the rate of seroconversion in a flock deliberately exposed to known PI lambs. The vaccine appeared to be safe, and the optimal dose was the full cattle dose (2 mL). While vaccination induced high virus neutralising titres to BVDV when administered as either a quarter, half or full dose registered for cattle, the BDV titres achieved were low and unlikely to prevent transplacental infection. In a second study, after exposure of between 2 and 15 days exposure to two PI lambs in confined conditions, only 3 of 66 previously naïve sheep demonstrated seroconversion. This demonstrated a very low rate of transmission and suggested that deliberate exposure to PI lambs at low-risk times for less than 15 days was not likely to be an effective means of achieving seroconversion throughout a flock and, therefore, not provide protection against BDV challenge during gestation., (© 2023 The Authors. Australian Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Veterinary Association.)

Neospora caninum plays an important role in abortion and economic losses in dairy industry worldwide. The main target of this work was to detect the infection rate of N. caninum in various hosts in dairy farms for identifying the risk factors and applying appropriate control programs to reduce the number of abortions. The study was conducted in dairy farms with high incidence of abortion in Hamedan province, West of Iran. After the primary assessment, we conducted a controlling program for reducing the Neospora‑infection rate and associated abortions. Before implementing the control program, the seropositivity was 24.8% in cows (N=476 distributed in 10 farms) and 8.6% (N=185) in dogs. Abortion occurred in 3.57% of pregnant cows. 94.1% of aborted cows were positive for Neospora‑infection. Based on molecular technique, the infection rate was detected in 7.3% of cats (N=41), in 25% of pigeons (N=19)and in 11.8% of rodents (N=51). After the implementation of neosporosis control programs in the farms, the seropositivity of N. caninum decreased to 8.2% in cows and 2.9% in dogs. After the one‑year follow‑up, no cases of abortions were reported in the farms. This was the first parallel evaluation of Neospora‑infection and controlling programs in Iranian dairy farms. Regular control of rodents, retesting of seronegative animals and farm biosecurity measures are recommended for reducing the abortion incidence. The access of dogs to the herd and to aborted materials should be restricted.

Bovine trichomonosis is caused by Tritrichomonas foetus. Thirty-three US states have state rules on this disease and render it reportable due to potential huge economic losses to cattle industry. The various rules of different states generally mandate testing and culling T. foetus-positive bulls as well as prohibiting import of T. foetus-positive animals. Wyoming has enforced these rules for over 20 year beginning in 2000. From 2017 to 2019, 3 years in a row, not even one T. foetus-positive bull has been detected throughout the entire state among over ten thousand bulls tested annually. Wyoming is the first US state to achieve total control and eradication of bovine trichomonosis by testing and culling T. foetus-positive bulls., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Abortusequi is a frequently reported pathogen causing abortion in mares. In this study, the preventive and therapeutic effects of phage P IZ SAE-01E2 against S Abortusequi in a mouse model of abortion were investigated. Phage P IZ SAE-01E2 was stable at different temperatures (4 to 70°C) and pH values (pH 4 to 10) and could lyse the majority of the Salmonella serogroup O:4 and O:9 strains tested (25/28). There was no lysogeny-related, toxin, or antibiotic resistance-related gene in the genome of P IZ SAE-01E2. All of these characteristics indicate that P IZ SAE-01E2 has the potential for use in phage therapy. In in vivo experiments, 2 × 10 3 CFU/mouse of S Abortusequi ATCC 9842 was sufficient to lead to murine abortion (gestational day 14.5) within 48 h. A single intraperitoneal inoculation of P IZ SAE-01E2 (10 8 PFU/mouse, multiplicity of infection = 10 5 ) 1 h before or after S Abortusequi challenge provided effective protection to all pregnant mice (10/10). After 24 h of treatment with phage P IZ SAE-01E2, the bacterial loads in both the placenta and the uterus of the infected mice were significantly decreased (<10 2  CFU/g) compared to those in the placenta and the uterus of the mice in the control group (>10 6  CFU/g). In addition, the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the placenta and blood of the mice in the phage administration groups were significantly reduced ( P <  0.05) compared to those in the placenta and blood of the mice in the control group. Altogether, these findings indicate that P IZ SAE-01E2 shows the potential to block abortions induced by S Abortusequi in vivo IMPORTANCE S Abortusequi is an important pathogen that can induce abortions in mares. Although S Abortusequi has been well controlled in Europe and the United States due to strict breeding and health policies, it is still widespread in African and Asian countries and has proven difficult to control. In China, abortions caused by S Abortusequi have also been reported in donkeys. So far, there is no commercial vaccine. Thus, exploiting alternative efficient and safe strategies to control S Abortusequi infection is essential. In this study, a new lytic phage, P IZ SAE-01E2, infecting S Abortusequi was isolated, and the characteristics of P IZ SAE-01E2 indicated that it has the potential for use in phage therapy. A single intraperitoneal inoculation of P IZ SAE-01E2 before or after S Abortusequi challenge provided effective protection to all pregnant mice. Thus, P IZ SAE-01E2 showed the potential to block abortions induced by S Abortusequi in vivo ., (Copyright © 2020 American Society for Microbiology.)

The objectives of this study were to assess abortion risk (AR) and the number of piglets that died during suckling periods per litter (DP) in farms infected with porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in relation to herd immunization procedures. Data were obtained from 91 farms in Japan that had PED infection during 2013 to 2014. The 91 PED-positive farms were asked the number of abortions that occurred and DP for 3 months (1 month before PED outbreak (previous month), 1 month after PED outbreak (the month of PED), and from 1 month after PED outbreak to 2 months after PED outbreak (following month)). AR in each month was calculated as the number of abortions divided by sow inventory. Both AR and DP in the month of PED were higher than those in the previous and following months (p < .05). Farms that performed a herd immunization procedure had higher AR and DP in the month of PED than those that did not perform the procedure (p < .05). In summary, PED occurrence increased AR and DP., (© 2020 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

The present study tested the hypothesis that administration of GnRH on day 5 of the estrous cycle in embryo transfer (ET) recipients would increase progesterone (P4) concentrations, embryo size, and improve fertility. Holstein and cross-bred Holstein heifers (n = 1562) were synchronized using a modified 5-day CIDR-Synch protocol as follows (All AM treatments): D-8, CIDR inserted; D-3, CIDR removed and PGF2α (500 μg cloprostenol) treatment; D-2, second PGF2α; D0, GnRH (G1, 100 μg gonadorelin acetate) to induce ovulation. On D5 in the afternoon, heifers were assigned in a completely randomized design to one of two treatments: Control (untreated) or GnRH (200 μg). Transfer of day 7 fresh IVP embryos was performed between D6 and D8 after G1. Data collected from each heifer included: embryo stage and quality, body condition score, technician performing ET, interval from G1 to ET, and number of previous transfers. All heifers were evaluated by transrectal ultrasonography on D5, D33, and D60 and a subset of heifers was scanned on D12 (n = 718; to determine ovulation to treatment) and another subset on D33 (n = 295; 16 s video to determine embryo and amniotic vesicle size). Serum P4 was determined from a subset of heifers on D12 (n = 467) and on D21 (n = 837) and pregnancy specific protein B (PSPB) on D28 (n = 843). Pregnancies per ET (P/ET) were analyzed by logistic regression and continuous outcomes by ANOVA. Ovulation to D5 GnRH, defined by the presence of an accessory CL on D12, was 83.9% (302/360) in GnRH-treated heifers vs. 3.3% (12/358) in Controls (P < 0.001). On D12, P4 was greater (P < 0.001) in GnRH-treated heifers (7.2 ± 0.1 ng/ml) vs Controls (6.0 ± 0.1 ng/ml). There was greater P/ET at D33 and D60 of pregnancy for Stage 7 than Stage 6 embryos. Treatment with GnRH did not alter P/ET with either embryo stage but decreased pregnancy loss between D33 and D60 in heifers receiving Stage 7 embryos. Presence of an accessory CL at the D33 pregnancy diagnosis was associated with a larger reduction in pregnancy loss from D33 to D60 in recipients of Stage 7 embryos (11.6 vs 27.6%). Although there was no GnRH effect on embryo size, the presence of an accessory CL was associated (P < 0.05) with larger amniotic vesicle volume in recipients of Stage 7 embryos. In addition, greater PSPB was linked to greater amniotic vesicle volume (P = 0.01) and to reduced pregnancy loss (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, treatment with GnRH on D5 caused ovulation and formation of an accessory CL, increased circulating P4, and reduced pregnancy loss in heifers receiving a Stage 7 but not a Stage 6 IVP embryo., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

MIP and CPAF from Chlamydia have been shown to be effective in inducing immune responses important in clearing chlamydial infections. This study evaluates the protection conferred by MIP and CPAF as novel vaccines in pregnant C. abortus challenged ewes. Fifty C. abortus sero-negative sheep were randomly allocated into 5 groups of 10 according to the treatment they were to receive (1) 100 µg of MBP-MIP (2) 100 µg CPAF (3) 50 µg MBP-MIP and 50 µg CPAF (4) Tris-buffer (negative control) (5) Enzovax (positive control). Booster inoculations were administered 3 weeks after primary inoculations. Blood samples were taken pre-vaccination and weekly for 5 weeks. Five months after vaccination the ewes were mated. Pregnant ewes were then challenged on day 90 of gestation. Blood samples taken at four time-points post challenge were analysed for IFNγ levels, TNFα and IL-10 expression and anti-chlamydial antibody levels. Vaginal swabs, placental and foetal tissue and bacterial shedding were analysed using qPCR to quantify levels of C. abortus. Enzovax was 100% effective with no abortions occurring. The MIP/CPAF combined vaccine offered the greatest protection of the novel vaccines with 67% of ewes giving birth to one or more live lambs equating to a 50% vaccine efficacy rate. MIP and CPAF administered singly did not confer protection. Enzovax and MIP/CPAF vaccinated ewes had longer gestations and lambs with higher birth weights than negative control ewes. Aborting ewes shed higher numbers of C. abortus than ewes that had live lambs, all vaccinated ewes demonstrated lower levels of bacterial shedding than negative control ewes with Enzovax ewes shedding significantly fewer bacteria. Ewes that went on to abort had significantly higher levels of IFNγ and IL-10 at day 35 post challenge and significantly higher levels of anti-chlamydial antibodies at 24 h post lambing compared to ewes that had live lambs., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chlamydia abortus produces ovine enzootic abortion (OEA). Symptoms are not observed until the organism colonises the placenta, eventually causing abortion. Infected animals become carriers and will shed the organism in the following oestruses. This process suggests that sex hormones might play an important role in the physiopathology of OEA, affecting the success of chlamydial clearance and also jeopardising the effectiveness of vaccination. However, the mechanisms through which sex hormones are involved in chlamydial pathogenicity remain unclear. The aim of this study, therefore, was to determine the effect of progesterone on the immune response against C. abortus and on the protection conferred by an experimental inactivated vaccine in sheep. Eighteen sheep were ovariectomised and divided into four groups: vaccinated and progesterone-treated (V-PG), vaccinated and non-treated (V-NT), non-vaccinated and non-treated (NV-NT) and non-vaccinated and progesterone-treated sheep (NV-PG). Animals from both PG groups were treated with commercial medroxyprogesterone acetate impregnated intravaginal sponges before and during the vaccination (V-PG) or just before challenge (NV-PG). The animals from both V groups were subcutaneously immunised with an experimental inactivated vaccine, which was seen to confer high protection in previous studies. All sheep were challenged intratracheally with C. abortus strain AB7 and were sacrificed on day 8 post-infection. Morbidity was measured as the variation in rectal temperature and samples of sera were collected for antibody and cytokine (IFN-γ and IL-10) analysis by commercial ELISA. In addition, lung and lymph node samples were collected for chlamydial detection by qPCR and for histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. Sheep from the V-PG group showed less severe or no lesions and lower morbidity than the other groups. They also had the highest abundance of regulatory T-cells. The sheep from V-NT also manifested high antibody levels against C. abortus and less severe lesions than those observed in non-vaccinated sheep, which showed high morbidity, low antibody levels and severe lesions, especially in NV-NT. These results confirm the effectiveness of the experimental vaccine employed and suggest that progesterone could enhance the effect., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

High reproductive performance is an element factor for profitability in dairy herds; although, pregnancy loss of non-infectious nature during early and mid-to-late embryonic period is increasing in dairy cattle. Based on that, the present study aimed to determine the incidence of pregnancy loss before and after 60 days of insemination, and to identify some non-infectious causes that could enhance it. The herd was composed by 600 crossbred dairy cows and those with a corpus luteum (CL) were treated with prostaglandinF2α, then inseminated, on the other hand, those without a CL were submitted to a timed artificial insemination protocol (TAI). Pregnancy losses rates were analyzed by logistic regression by SAS, and differences were considered significant when P < 0.05. The overall pregnancy loss and mid-to-late pregnancy loss were not affected by animal category (P > 0.05); although, early pregnancy loss was higher in cows than in heifers (11.90 vs. 3.39%). The early pregnancy loss was higher in those cows that calved on spring/summer when compared to those calved on fall/winter (9.22% vs. 16.11%), moreover, those inseminated during spring/summer tended to have higher early pregnancy loss when compared to those inseminated on fall/winter (13.35% vs. 8.57%). In conclusion, when some of non-infectious causes were evaluated, it was observed that cows that calved on spring/summer had higher pregnancy loss. At this point, strategies should be developing to minimize pregnancy loss in dairy herds, as it could be considered an important reproductive problem.

This study examined whether tocotrienol supplementation to corticosterone-treated male rats could prevent foetal loss in females upon their mating. Epididymides of adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with proven fertility were surgically separated at the testis-caput junction. Twenty-four hours post-surgery, these animals received for 7 days either: tocopherol-stripped corn oil (Control), corticosterone 25 mg/kg s.c. (CORT), CORT 25 mg/kg s.c. and tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) 100 mg/kg orally (CORT + TRF) or TRF 100 mg/kg orally (TRF). On day 8, males were cohabited with proestrus females. A spermatozoa-positive vaginal smear indicated pregnancy. Males were euthanised for analysis of testosterone and antioxidant activities. Reproductive organs were weighed. On day 8 of pregnancy, females were laparotomised to count the number of implantation sites. Pregnancy was continued until term. Number of pups delivered and their weights were determined. Data were analysed using ANOVA. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly lower in CORT + TRF group compared with CORT group. Enzymatic antioxidant activities, testosterone level and reproductive organ weights were significantly higher in CORT + TRF group compared with CORT group. Number of implantation sites and live pups delivered, and their birth weights from females mated with CORT + TRF males were significantly higher compared to CORT group. Therefore, TRF prevents foetal loss in females mated with CORT + TRF-treated males., (© 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-acting progesterone supplementation on pregnancy rates and gestational losses in Nelore females (Bos taurus indicus) submitted to Timed Artificial Insemination (TAI). Ovulations of multiparous (n = 534), primiparous (n = 117) and nulliparous (n = 81) Nelore females were synchronized for TAI and the day of insemination was considered D0. After TAI, the animals were allocated into three groups. Two groups received 150 mg of long acting injectable progesterone (P4) in a single dose, 5 (D = 5) or 11 (D = 11) days after TAI, resulting in the following treatments: 1) Group P4 - D5 (n = 235); 2) Group P4 - D11 (n = 245); and 3) Control Group (n = 252). The animals in the control group did not receive any supplementation. Pregnancy was checked by ultrasonography, 30 days after the TAI. The gestational losses were evaluated at two different periods: 1) from 30 to 60 days, and 2) from 60 to 90 days. The pregnancy rate and the gestational losses as a function of the treatments were tested by the non-parametric binomial test with 5% significance level. The pregnancy rates were different between the groups P4 - D5 and Control (47 and 39%, respectively) (P < 0.05), but no difference was observed in relation to the P4 - D11 group. There was a difference in gestational losses from 30 to 60 days and total losses between the groups treated with P4 on the fifth day and eleventh day after TAI in relation to the control group (P = 0.0173; P = 0.0454), but no difference was observed between the treatments in relation to the losses between 60 and 90 days (P ≥ 0.0578). Among the animals that were cycling at the beginning of the protocol, the groups supplemented with progesterone at day 5 or 11 after insemination had gestational losses significantly lower (P = 0.04) than the control group (P4 - D5 = 2%; P4 - D11 = 2%, control = 14%). The animals in anestrous that received supplementation 5 days after TAI had lower gestational losses (P = 0.049) compared with the other groups (P4 - D5 = 3%, P4 - D11 = 7% Control = 10%). Under the conditions of this study, the use of long-acting injectable progesterone 5 days after TAI in Nelore females increased the pregnancy rates, but when supplemented 11 days after TAI, it did not have the same effect. Also, when used 5 days after TAI, it significantly decreased gestational losses on both anestrous and cycling animals. Therefore, it may be an interesting alternative to increase reproductive and productive efficiencies., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A program for controlling bovine neosporosis based only on the use of beef semen, without culling seropositive animals, was evaluated in a closed dairy cattle herd over a 5-year period (2013-2017). The program was based on individual and periodic serological screenings to identify seropositive breeders. Seropositive cows were inseminated with beef-breed semen, thus excluding their descendants from the remount in order to prevent the vertical transmission of the disease. Seronegative animals, as well as heifers at first insemination, were tested before each insemination. Sera of 1097 cattle were examined by a commercial indirect ELISA for the detection of antibodies anti-Neospora caninum. To verify the difference in seropositivity values among years of sampling, statistical analysis through generalized estimation equations (GEEs) was performed, also considering the effects of age, lineages, and occurrence of abortion. A seroprevalence of 33.8% was found in the first screening. The prevalence and incidence of the infection within the herd decreased significantly in 2017 (P = 28.9%, I = 1.4%) (p-value = 0.0001). The family line investigation detected a higher risk of being seropositive for a cow born to a seropositive dam (p-value = 0.0001) than to a seronegative dam, decreasing both the apparently vertical and horizontal transmissions. The number of spontaneous abortions decreased after the first year of the study (23 in 2013 to 6 in 2017). Seropositive animals were associated with abortion events (p-value = 0.0001). Although an eradication of N. caninum was not achieved at the end of the study period, a significant reduction in prevalence and incidence of neosporosis in the herd and a reduction of the abortion rate was achieved with the application of this control plan in five years, without culling a high number of seropositive potential milk-producing animals., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Salmonella Abortusequi causes important clinical diseases in horses possibly leading to abortion. In the present investigation, the protective efficacy of both plain and aluminum hydroxide gel adjuvanted phage lysate was evaluated in guinea pig model. Broad host range bacteriophage P IZ -SAE-2, was characterized and used for generation of lysates. Three different lysate batches, produced through separate cycles and characterized, were pooled together for immunization study. Plain and adjuvanted phage lysate preparations elicited both humoral and cellmediated immunity. The adjuvanted lysate at a dose of 50 μl elicited the highest protective efficacy against direct challenge at 28th DPI. Thus, the present study describes a new method of bacterial inactivation for producing a new class of better & safe immunprophylactic agents. This is the first report of producing an inactivated vaccine candidate using a new approach against equine salmonellosis., (Copyright © 2018 International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chlamydia abortus is responsible for enzootic abortion (known as ovine enzootic abortion (OEA) and enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE)) in both sheep and goats and has major economic implications for the farming industry worldwide. A virulence-attenuated mutant strain of C. abortus (strain 1B) is currently commercially available as a live attenuated vaccine for immunization of sheep and goats in several European countries. Following an abortion storm in a French flock of 200 ewes that occurred two years after vaccination of 36 replacement ewes with the commercial 1B vaccine strain, the vaginal swabs of 3 vaccinated and 7 unvaccinated aborted ewes and 12 of the 13 dead fetuses were found to be positive for C. abortus by real-time PCR. Genotyping of the samples, using vaccine-specific SNP markers, identified all as positive for the vaccine-type strain. The recent vaccination of this flock with the attenuated commercial vaccine strain, the large number of abortion cases observed in ewes irrespective of vaccination status, the high C. abortus load detected in vaginal swabs or abortion tissues and the identification of specific vaccine-type markers in these samples strongly suggest that the 1B strain has been transmitted from vaccinated to naïve animals, thus mimicking a natural wild-type infection., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is an important viral cause of reproductive disease, immune suppression and clinical disease in cattle. The objective of this study was to compare reproductive protection in cattle against the impacts of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) provided by three different multivalent vaccines containing inactivated BVDV. BVDV negative beef heifers and cows (n = 122) were randomly assigned to one of four groups. Groups A-C (n = 34/group) received two pre-breeding doses of one of three commercially available multivalent vaccines containing inactivated fractions of BVDV 1 and BVDV 2, and Group D (n = 20) served as negative control and received two doses of saline prior to breeding. Animals were bred, and following pregnancy diagnosis, 110 cattle [Group A (n = 31); Group B (n = 32); Group C (n = 31); Group D (n = 16)] were subjected to a 28-day exposure to cattle persistently infected (PI) with BVDV (1a, 1b and 2a). Of the 110 pregnancies, 6 pregnancies resulted in fetal resorption with no material for testing. From the resultant 104 pregnancies, BVDV transplacental infections were demonstrated in 73 pregnancies. The BVDV fetal infection rate (FI) was calculated at 13/30 (43%) for Group A cows, 27/29 (93%) for Group B cows, 18/30 (60%) for Group C cows, and 15/15 (100%) for Group D cows. Statistical differences were observed between groups with respect to post-vaccination antibody titers, presence and duration of viremia in pregnant cattle, and fetal infection rates in offspring from BVDV-exposed cows. Group A vaccination resulted in significant protection against BVDV infection as compared to all other groups based upon outcome measurements, while Group B vaccination did not differ in protection against BVDV infection from control Group D. Ability of inactivated BVDV vaccines to provide protection against BVDV fetal infection varies significantly among commercially available products; however, in this challenge model, the inactivated vaccines provided unacceptable levels of BVDV FI protection., (Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Neospora caninum is one of the main causes of abortion in cattle, and recent studies have highlighted its relevance as an abortifacient in small ruminants. Vaccines or drugs for the control of neosporosis are lacking. Bumped kinase inhibitors (BKIs), which are ATP-competitive inhibitors of calcium dependent protein kinase 1 (CDPK1), were shown to be highly efficacious against several apicomplexan parasites in vitro and in laboratory animal models. We here present the pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy of BKI-1553 in pregnant ewes and foetuses using a pregnant sheep model of N. caninum infection. BKI-1553 showed exposure in pregnant ewes with trough concentrations of approximately 4 μM, and of 1  μM in foetuses. Subcutaneous BKI-1553 administration increased rectal temperatures shortly after treatment, and resulted in dermal nodules triggering a slight monocytosis after repeated doses at short intervals. BKI-1553 treatment decreased fever in infected pregnant ewes already after two applications, resulted in a 37-50% reduction in foetal mortality, and modulated immune responses; IFNγ levels were increased early after infection and IgG levels were reduced subsequently. N. caninum was abundantly found in placental tissues; however, parasite detection in foetal brain tissue decreased from 94% in the infected/untreated group to 69-71% in the treated groups. In summary, BKI-1553 confers partial protection against abortion in a ruminant experimental model of N. caninum infection during pregnancy. In addition, reduced parasite detection, parasite load and lesions in foetal brains were observed., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In this study, we conducted an investigation to determine the true prevalence of coxiellosis in sheep in central-eastern Tunisia. A total of 492 veterinary samples taken from 110 flocks were screened for coxiellosis using IS1111-based real-time PCR assay. Sheep sera were tested using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Based on molecular and serological results, the true adjusted animal and herd-level prevalence of coxiellosis were 11.8% and 20.21%, respectively. Bacterial excretion was observed in 17 flocks, and 19 females showed evidence of Coxiella burnetii shedding (100%). In addition, a statistically significant association was found between vaginal and milk shedding for sheep. Multivariable logistic regression analysis at the animal-population level indicated that strata and vaccination variables were found to be associated with coxiellosis. Besides, it was shown that this infection increased when the intensive farm was exposed to carnivores and when the cleaning practices were not respected, while it decreased when a suitable quarantine was introduced for any introduction of a new animal. Good hygiene and sanitation practices on-farm should be handled as strategies to deal with this zoonotic pathogen in herds., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Despite their size and potentially dangerous demeanor, the rhinoceros has been a preferred subject of wildlife reproductive scientists. Several factors contribute to this taxon's popularity including the ability to utilize insightful tools like non-invasive hormone metabolite monitoring and transrectal ultrasonography, the necessity for mate introductions to coincide with the female's estrus when breeding certain species or individuals, and the desire to develop assisted reproductive technologies to facilitate the genetic management and ultimate sustainability of small, managed populations in human care. The resulting profusion of rhinoceros reproductive studies has revealed significant species-specific characteristics and exposed the prevalence of aberrant reproductive activity within this taxon. Of equal importance, it has guided necessary intervention and enhanced our success in overcoming challenges associated with breeding rhinoceroses., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Embryo biopsy has been performed in bovine in vivo produced embryos for the last twenty years, but little could be done with few embryonic cells in the past. Recently, advances in single cell analysis enabled a wide range of applications using embryo biopsy, from morphology to genetics analysis and different omics-techniques, which are promising for in vitro-fertilized (IVF) embryos. The aim of this study was to address if biopsy procedure would affect post implantation development of IVF blastocyts. Here we show that blastocyst stage do not affect re-expansion of biopsied embryos (regular blastocyst: 73.7%; expanded blastocyst: 73.1%), but affects (p<0.05) implantation (regular blastocyst: 37.8%, expanded blastocyst: 61.0%), so ideally biopsy should be performed in expanded blastocysts. No detrimental effect of biopsy procedure was detected for post-implantation development (calving rates, Biopsy: 47.1%, Control: 41.9%), and normal calves were born (Birth weight, Biopsy: 32.10±7.20kg; Control: 30.95±5.43kg). Surprisingly, we found interesting results suggesting embryo survival can be increased with aggressive procedures (such as embryo biopsy), and this is highly associated with early pregnancy loss (Biopsy: 0%, Control: 17.4%). This finding also suggests morphological classification of day 7 blastocysts is far from ideal, and supposedly, unhealthy embryos can implant but are bound to miscarriage during the first trimester (non-biopsied embryos). Our results show biopsy procedure is safe for bovine IVF embryos, and shed new light into the importance of conceptus in early pregnancy loss in cattle., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In cattle, individual in vitro embryo culture after Day 6 benefits development, allowing non-invasive analysis of culture medium. However, undefined supplements in culture reduce analytical reliability. In this study we assayed the short- and long-term performance of embryos after bovine serum albumin removal over a 24-h period in individual culture. The absence of protein decreased embryo development and cell counts in the inner cell mass without affecting blastocyst sex ratio. However, the absence of protein produced embryos with an improved tendency to survive vitrification after 24h in culture (P=0.07). After transfer to recipients, birth rates of embryos that had been cultured with protein tended to decrease (P<0.06) mostly as a result of a higher number of miscarriages (P<0.013), reflecting lower viability. Birthweight, gestation length, height and thorax circumference did not differ between embryos cultured with or without protein. In fresh blastocysts cultured without protein, gene expression analysis showed higher abundance (P<0.05) of insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor (IGF2R; imprinting) and activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and DNA-damage-inducible transcript 3 (DDIT3; endoplasmic reticulum stress) transcripts, with DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A; imprinting) tending to increase (P=0.062). However, in hatched blastocysts that survived cryopreservation, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) was overexpressed in embryos cultured without protein (P<0.01). The absence of protein results in fewer blastocysts but improved long-term viability after cryopreservation.

Tritrichomonas foetus is a flagellated protozoan that causes a sexually transmitted disease in cattle. Trichomonosis is characterized by early abortions, subfertility and a significant decrease in productivity. Vaccine preparations containing whole T. foetus can reduce the time of residence of the pathogen in the host cervix after experimental infection. Here, T. foetus vaccines prepared with different adjuvants were tested, in parallel with a commercial vaccine, for their efficacy to clear the infection. The median time for clearance of infection was 69days in non-immunized animals, 55days in animals treated with aluminum hydroxide, 41days with oil-in-water or saponin based vaccines or with a commercial vaccine and 27days in animals treated with saponin plus aluminum hydroxide. A slight increase in the risk of T. foetus clearance from the genital tract was found with the saponin based vaccine (hazard ratio, 2.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-6.17) or the commercial vaccine (hazard ratio, 2.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-6.38). A significant increase in the risk of T. foetus clearance was found with the combination of saponin plus aluminum hydroxide based vaccine (hazard ratio, 5.12; 95% confidence interval, 2.04-12.83)., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bovine herpesvirus 1 is ubiquitous in cattle populations and is the cause of several clinical syndromes including respiratory disease, genital disease, and late-term abortions. Control of the virus in many parts of the world is achieved primarily through vaccination with either inactivated or modified-live viral vaccines. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the cumulative efficacy of BoHV-1 vaccination to prevent abortion in pregnant cattle. Germane articles for inclusion in the analysis were identified through four online scientific databases and the examination of three review and ten primary study article reference lists. A total of 15 studies in 10 manuscripts involving over 7500 animals were included in the meta-analysis. Risk ratio effect sizes were used in random effects, weighted meta-analyses to assess the impact of vaccination. Subgroup analyses were performed based on type of vaccine, MLV or inactivated, and the type of disease challenge, experimentally induced compared to field studies. A 60% decrease in abortion risk in vaccinated cattle was demonstrated. The greatest decrease in abortion risk was seen in studies with intentional viral challenge although vaccination also decreased abortion risk in field studies. Both inactivated and modified-live viral vaccines decreased abortion risk. This meta-analysis provides quantitative support for the benefit of bovine herpesvirus 1 vaccination in the prevention of abortion., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Tritrichomonas foetus is a sexually transmitted reproductive pathogen of cattle that causes transient infertility, early embryonic death, metritis, pyometra, and sporadic abortions. The objective of this research was to assess the impact on reproductive health of vaccinating naïve heifers with a killed T. foetus vaccine (TrichGuard) before experimental exposure followed by breeding. A total of 40 beef heifers were randomly assigned into two treatment groups. Heifers where then vaccinated with two doses of TrichGuard or sham vaccinated with 0.9% sterile saline according to their respective groups. Sixty days following vaccination or sham vaccination, heifers were intravaginally inoculated with 2 × 10 6 organisms of a cloned isolate of T. foetus of bovine origin (CDTf-4) during synchronized estrus. Three days following inoculation of T. foetus, bulls free of T. foetus were introduced for natural breeding. Three bulls were maintained with the 40 heifers (20 vaccinated; 20 sham vaccinated) for a 49-day breeding season. Cervical mucous samples were obtained from each heifer at Day 0 and at 29 additional time points throughout the study for T. foetus culture. Pregnancy assessments were performed routinely by using transrectal palpation and ultrasonography. Pregnancies were detected in 19/20 (95%) vaccinated heifers and 14/20 (70%) sham-vaccinated heifers (P = 0.046). Only 4/20 (20%) of the sham-vaccinated heifers gave birth to a live calf compared with 10/20 (50%) of the vaccinated heifers (P = 0.048). Thus, embryonic or fetal loss was detected in 9/19 (47%) vaccinated heifers and 10/14 (71%) sham-vaccinated heifers (P = 0.153). The interval of time between inoculations with T. foetus and conceptions of pregnancies that were maintained until birth did not differ significantly between groups (vaccinated = 18.7 days; sham-vaccinated = 17.3 days; P = 0.716). The infectious challenge in this study proved to be very rigorous as a positive culture was detected from all heifers. The culture-positive results on the last culture day did not differ significantly (P = 0.115) between vaccinated heifers (63.9 days) and sham-vaccinated heifers (79.2 days). All uterine culture samples collected from the 26 nonpregnant heifers on Day 207 postinoculation did not result in the detection of T. foetus. These findings indicate that the killed, whole cell vaccine used in this study (TrichGuard) was effective in improving reproductive health evidenced by significantly reducing losses associated with T. foetus infections., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study was to compare reproductive protection in cattle against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) provided by annual revaccination with multivalent modified-live viral (MLV) vaccine or multivalent combination viral (CV) vaccine containing temperature-sensitive modified-live BoHV-1 and killed BVDV when MLV vaccines were given pre-breeding to nulliparous heifers. Seventy-five beef heifers were allocated into treatment groups A (n=30; two MLV doses pre-breeding, annual revaccination with MLV vaccine), B (n=30; two MLV doses pre-breeding, annual revaccination with CV vaccine) and C (n=15; saline in lieu of vaccine). Heifers were administered treatments on days 0 (weaning), 183 (pre-breeding), 366 (first gestation), and 738 (second gestation). After first calving, primiparous cows were bred, with pregnancy assessment on day 715. At that time, 24 group A heifers (23 pregnancies), 23 group B heifers (22 pregnancies), and 15 group C heifers (15 pregnancies) were commingled with six persistently infected (PI) cattle for 16days. Ninety-nine days after PI removal, cows were intravenously inoculated with BoHV-1. All fetuses and live offspring were assessed for BVDV and BoHV-1. Abortions occurred in 3/23 group A cows, 1/22 group B cows, and 11/15 group C cows. Fetal infection with BVDV or BoHV-1 occurred in 4/23 group A offspring, 0/22 group B offspring, and 15/15 group C offspring. This research demonstrates efficacy of administering two pre-breeding doses of MLV vaccine with annual revaccination using CV vaccine to prevent fetal loss due to exposure to BVDV and BoHV-1., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Epizootic bovine abortion (EBA), or "foothill abortion," is the leading cause of beef cattle abortion in California and has also been reported in Nevada and Oregon. In the 1970s, the soft-shelled tick Ornithodoros coriaceus , or "pajaroello tick," was confirmed as the disease-transmitting vector. In 2005, a novel Deltaproteobacterium was discovered as the etiologic agent of EBA (aoEBA), recently named Pajaroellobacter abortibovis This organism cannot be grown in culture using traditional microbiological techniques; it can only be grown in experimentally-infected severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. The objectives of this study were to perform a de novo genome assembly for P. abortibovis and identify and validate potential antigenic proteins as candidates for future recombinant vaccine development. DNA and RNA were extracted from spleen tissue collected from experimentally-infected SCID mice following exposure to P. abortibovis This combination of mouse and bacterial DNA was sequenced and aligned to the mouse genome. Mouse sequences were subtracted from the sequence pool and the remaining sequences were de novo assembled at 50x coverage into a 1.82 Mbp complete closed circular Deltaproteobacterial genome containing 2250 putative protein-coding sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of P. abortibovis predicts that this bacterium is most closely related to the organisms of the order Myxococcales, referred to as Myxobacteria. In silico prediction of vaccine candidates was performed using a reverse vaccinology approach resulting in the identification and ranking of the top 10 candidate proteins that are likely to be antigenic. Immunologic testing of these candidate proteins confirmed antigenicity of seven of the nine expressed protein candidates using serum from P. abortibovis immunized mice., (Copyright © 2017 Welly et al.)

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that can cause severe illness in humans and considerable economic loss in the livestock industry. Although small ruminants are the preferential host for Brucella melitensis, this pathogen has emerged as a cause for Brucella outbreaks in cattle. S19 vaccination is implemented in many countries where B. abortus is endemic but its effectiveness against B. melitensis has not been validated. Here we show that vaccine effectiveness in preventing disease transmission between vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts, as determined by seroconversion, was 87.2% (95% CI 69.5-94.6%). Furthermore, vaccination was associated with a reduced risk for abortion. Together, our data emphasize the role S19 vaccination could play in preventing B. melitensis outbreaks in areas where this pathogen is prevalent in small ruminant populations., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we explored possibility of increasing the protective efficacy of our novel influenza viral vector based B. abortus vaccine (Flu-BA) in pregnant heifers by adapting an innovative method of vaccine delivery. We administered the vaccine concurrently via the conjunctival and subcutaneous routes to pregnant heifers, and these routes were previously tested individually. The Flu-BA vaccination of pregnant heifers (n=9) against a challenge B. abortus 544 infection provided protection from abortion, infection of heifers and fetuses/calves by 88.8%, 100% and 100%, respectively (alpha=0.004-0.0007 vs. negative control; n=7). Our candidate vaccine using this delivery method provided slightly better protection than the commercial B. abortus S19 vaccine in pregnant heifers (n=8), which provided protection from abortion, infection of heifers and fetuses/calves by 87.5%, 75% and 87.5%, respectively. This improved method of the Flu-BA vaccine administration is highly recommended for the recovery of farms which has high prevalence of brucellosis., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

River buffalo are able to adapt to diverse climatic zones and are widespread globally. The resource use efficiency of buffalo is highly relevant in a resource-constrained world and the increasing requirement to produce more food. Buffalo clearly have an important role in meeting the growing demand for animal protein. In the Mediterranean and higher latitudes, buffalo show annual cycles of ovarian activity, embryonic development, and pregnancy rate. In buffalo, the CL starts to develop early in the cycle, and there is also an early increase in concentrations of progesterone (P4) in circulation. This appears to be necessary for optimal embryonic development. The failure to establish a pregnancy in buffalo can occur before Day 21 (early embryonic mortality), from Day 21 to 45 (late embryonic mortality), and from Day 46 to 90 (fetal mortality) after mating. Treatment with P4, hCG, and GnRH on Day 5 after mating increases P4 in circulation and reduces early embryonic mortality in circumstances where concentrations of P4 are relatively low. The same treatments applied on Day 20 to 25 after mating can lower the occurrence of late embryonic mortality and fetal mortality., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Neosporosis is one of the most common and widespread causes of bovine abortion. The causative parasite is transmitted in at least two ways, horizontally from canids, and by endogenous transmission within maternal lines of infected cattle. The prevalence of neosporosis is higher in the dairy industry than in the beef industry because of risk factors associated with intensive feeding. There are no vaccines, but logical management options are discussed that can lower the risk of abortion outbreaks and gradually reduce the prevalence of infection within herds. Steps should be taken to prevent total mixed rations from becoming contaminated by canine feces. If a herd has a high rate of infection that is associated with abortions in heifers, then the rate of reduction of infection prevalence can be speeded by only selecting seronegative replacement heifers to enter the breeding herd. Elimination of all infected cattle is not a recommended goal., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bovine trichomoniasis has been recognized as a pathogen of the bovine reproductive tract for nearly 100 years. Although characteristics of the causative organism, Tritrichomonas foetus lend to control and there are examples of disease eradication, cattle producers are still faced with this disease. This article highlights the clinical presentation, magnitude of effect, risk factors, epidemiology, and sample collection and suggests applications in developing herd-level control measures for beef cattle producers including testing strategies for control, testing strategies for surveillance, strategies to eliminate trichomoniasis from infected herds, and strategies for prevention in uninfected herds., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Chlamydiae induce a range of pathological syndromes in small ruminants. Abortion is the most common clinical expression of the infection that causes important economic losses and presents a risk to human health, particularly in pregnant women. The present paper gives an overview of chlamydial infections in sheep and goats, focusing specifically on abortion and on recent data brought by cellular and genomic approaches regarding genotyping, virulence of strains, epidemiology, diagnosis, pathogenesis and control of the disease., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Q fever is an almost ubiquitous zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, which is able to infect several animal species, as well as humans. Cattle, sheep and goats are the primary animal reservoirs. In small ruminants, infections are mostly without clinical symptoms, however, abortions and stillbirths can occur, mainly during late pregnancy. Shedding of C. burnetii occurs in feces, milk and, mostly, in placental membranes and birth fluids. During parturition of infected small ruminants, bacteria from birth products become aerosolized. Transmission to humans mainly happens through inhalation of contaminated aerosols. In the last decade, there have been several, sometimes large, human Q fever outbreaks related to sheep and goats. In this review, we describe C. burnetii infections in sheep and goats, including both advantages and disadvantages of available laboratory techniques, as pathology, different serological tests, PCR and culture to detect C. burnetii. Moreover, worldwide prevalences of C. burnetii in small ruminants are described, as well as possibilities for treatment and prevention. Prevention of shedding and subsequent environmental contamination by vaccination of sheep and goats with a phase I vaccine are possible. In addition, compulsory surveillance of C. burnetii in small ruminant farms raises awareness and hygiene measures in farms help to decrease exposure of people to the organism. Finally, this review challenges how to contain an infection of C. burnetii in small ruminants, bearing in mind possible consequences for the human population and probable interference of veterinary strategies, human risk perception and political considerations., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rift Valley fever is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease of domestic ruminants. This disease causes abortions in pregnant animals, and it has a high mortality rate in newborn animals. Recently, a Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) outbreak in the Arabian Peninsula increased its potential spread to new regions worldwide. In non-endemic or disease-free countries, early detection and surveillance are important for preventing the introduction of RVFV. In this study, a serological surveillance was conducted to detect antibodies against RVFV. A total of 2382 serum samples from goats and cattle were randomly collected from nine areas in South Korea from 2011 to 2013. These samples were tested for antibodies against RVFV, using commercial ELISA kits. None of the goats and cattle were positive for antibodies against RVFV. This finding suggests that this disease is not present in South Korea, and furthermore presents the evidence of the RVFV-free status of this country.

Heat stress has consequences on both the physiology and reproductive performance of cows, but the most dramatic effect for dairy producers is the decrease produced in fertility. The effects of heat stress on fertility include an increased number of days open, reduced conception rate, and larger number of cows suffering different types of anestrus. Once becomes pregnant, heat stress affects also the reproductive success of the cow through its direct effects on the ovary, uterus, gametes, embryo, and early fetus. This article reviews current knowledge of the effects of heat stress on fertility in dairy cows and the hormonal strategies used to mitigate these effects at the farm level. Administration of GnRH at the moment of artificial insemination can improve the conception rate. Breeding synchronization protocols for fixed-time insemination may reduce the calving conception interval and the number of services per conception. Progesterone-based protocols seem resolve better the reproductive disorders related to a hot environment (anestrus) than GnRH-based protocols. The use of combinations of GnRH, eCG, and hCG in progesterone-based protocols can improve results. Progesterone supplementation during the late embryonic and/or early fetal period would be useful in curtailing pregnancy losses, mainly in single pregnancies, whereas a more positive effect of treatment with GnRH than progesterone has been found in twin pregnancies. Melatonin therapy is emerging as a promising strategy to improve the natural reproductive performance of cows suffering conditions of heat stress., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Brucella abortus vaccines play a central role in bovine brucellosis control/eradication programs and have been successfully used worldwide for decades. Strain 19 and RB51 are the approved B. abortus vaccines strains most commonly used to protect cattle against infection and abortion. However, due to some drawbacks shown by these vaccines much effort has been undertaken for the development of new vaccines, safer and more effective, that could also be used in other susceptible species of animals. In this paper, we present a review of the main aspects of the vaccines that have been used in the brucellosis control over the years and the current research advances in the development of new B. abortus vaccines.

Neosporosis, caused by the intracellular protozoan Neospora caninum, is a major cause of abortion and reproductive failure in cattle worldwide. The principal route of transmission of neosporosis is via in utero infection of the offspring. There is no effective prophylactic treatment or vaccine available against bovine neosporosis. A N. caninum NcIs491 isolate was examined for its ability to immunize and reduce abortions in naturally infected dairy cows under field conditions. N. caninum-seropositive pregnant dams were inoculated with 10(8) live tachyzoites during mid-term pregnancy. A total of 520 N. caninum seropositive dams were included in this study, of these, 146 were immunized and 374 cows served as a non-vaccinated control group. A significantly lower incidence of abortion was observed in vaccinated compared to non-vaccinated cows, 16 and 26% respectively (P=0.01), with a vaccine efficacy of 39%. However, the number of seropositive offspring remained similar in both groups. Overall, this field trial suggests that vaccination with live N. caninum tachyzoites should be considered as an effective measure to reduce abortions caused by neosporosis in naturally infected cows., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A systematic review of the literature was performed with the objective to evaluate the effects of progesterone supplementation using a single intravaginal insert during timed artificial insemination (AI) programs on fertility in lactating dairy cows. A total of 25 randomized controlled studies including 8,285 supplemented cows and 8,398 untreated controls were included in the meta-analysis. Information regarding the presence of corpus luteum (CL) at the initiation of the synchronization protocol was available for 6,883 supplemented cows and 6,879 untreated controls in 21 experiments. Studies were classified based on service number (first AI vs. resynchronized AI), use of presynchronization (yes vs. no), and insemination of cows in estrus during the synchronization protocol (inseminated in estrus and timed AI vs. timed AI only). Reproductive outcomes of interest were pregnancy per AI (P/AI) measured on d 32 (27 to 42) and 60 (41 to 71) after AI, and pregnancy loss between d 32 and 60 of gestation. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted and treatment effect was summarized into a pooled risk ratio with the Knapp-Hartung modification (RRK+H). The effect of moderator variables was assessed using meta-regression analyses. Progesterone supplementation increased the risk of pregnancy on d 32 [RRK+H = 1.08; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02-1.14] and 60 after AI (RRK+H = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.03-1.17). The benefit of progesterone supplementation was observed mainly in cows lacking a CL at the initiation of the timed AI program (d 60: RRK+H = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.07-1.30) rather than those with CL (d 60: RRK+H = 1.06; 95% CI = 0.99-1.12). Progesterone supplementation benefited P/AI in studies in which all cows were inseminated at timed AI (d 60: RRK+H = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.10-1.29), but not in studies in which cows could be inseminated in estrus during the timed AI program (d 60: RRK+H = 1.04; 95% CI = 0.92-1.16). Progesterone supplementation tended to reduce the risk of pregnancy loss (RRK+H = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.67-1.00). Service number and presynchronization did not influence the effect of progesterone supplementation on fertility. In summary, progesterone supplementation using a single intravaginal insert during the timed AI program increased P/AI mostly in cows without CL and reduced the risk of pregnancy loss in lactating dairy cows. Insemination of cows in estrus during the synchronization protocol eliminated the benefit of supplemental progesterone on P/AI., (Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The use of live vaccine strain RB51 for vaccination of domestic water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) at risk of infection with Brucella abortus is permitted notwithstanding the plans for the eradication and only under strict veterinary control. The antibodies induced by RB51 vaccination are not detectable using conventional diagnostic techniques; therefore, it is necessary to have a specific diagnostic tool able to discriminate vaccinated from unvaccinated animals. The combination of a complement fixation test (CFT) with specific RB51 antigen (RB51-CFT) and a brucellin skin test has been demonstrated to be a reliable diagnostic system to identify single cattle (Bos taurus) vaccinated with RB51. So far, no data are available in the international scientific literature regarding the use of this test association in water buffalo. For this reason the suitability of this test combination has been evaluated in a water buffalo herd. One hundred twenty-seven animals farmed in a herd of Salerno province (Campania, Southern Italy), in the context of a presumptive unauthorized use of RB51 vaccine were chosen for this study. All tested animals resulted negative to Rose Bengal test (RBT) and complement fixation test (CFT) used for the detection of specific antibodies against Brucella field strains. Seventy-one animals (56%) developed RB51 antigen-specific CFT (RB51-CFT) antibodies against RB51 vaccine in a first sampling, while 104 animals (82%) gave positive result to a second serum sampling conducted 11 days after the intradermal inoculation of the RB51 brucellin. One hundred and seven animals (84%) showed a positive reaction to the RB51-CFT in at least 1 sampling, while 111 animals (87%) resulted positive to the RB51 brucellin skin test. Thus, analysing the results of the 3 testing in parallel, 119 animals (94%) were positive to at least 1 of the performed tests. The results suggest that the use in parallel of the RB51 brucellin skin test with RB51-CFT may represent a reliable diagnostic system to identify water buffaloes vaccinated with RB51 vaccine.

Reasons for Performing Study: Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is one of the most common causes of infectious abortion in mares. Analysing the demography of outbreaks and detailing subsequent reproductive performance of affected mares will assist in the management of future (threatened) epizootics., Objectives: To examine the epidemiology and reproductive outcomes of 2 EHV-1 abortion epizootics with very different patterns of morbidity., Study Design: Epidemiological and reproductive data were analysed retrospectively following abortion epizootics associated with EHV-1, but initiated via different routes, among unvaccinated mares on 2 Thoroughbred farms in South Africa., Methods: Aborting mares were assigned to either the EHV-1 abortion cohort via positive immunostaining (Farms 1 and 2) or quantitative PCR (Farm 2) on tissue samples, or to the non-EHV abortion cohort., Results: During their respective epizootics, EHV-1 abortions affected 9/30 (30.0%) and 18/316 (5.7%) of the pregnant mares on Farms 1 and 2, respectively; there were also 25 (7.9%) non-EHV abortions on Farm 2. Epizootic differences included: durations (Farm 1 = 135 days; Farm 2 = 34 days), intervals between first and subsequent abortions (Farm 1 = 39 days; Farm 2 = 2 days) and intervals to confirmation of EHV-1 (Farm 1 = 40 days; Farm 2 = 2 days). The median (range) age of EHV-1 abortion mares (8.0; 5-18 years) in both epizootics was similar but significantly younger (P = 0.004) than the 25 non-EHV-1 abortion mares (11.0; 4-24 years) on Farm 2. Gestation stage (median; range) of EHV-1 (291.5; 277-313) and non-EHV-1 (211.9; 61-339 days) abortions were significantly different (P = 0.001). The post abortion complications and subsequent reproductive outcomes had no significant association with EHV-1 abortion., Conclusions: The marked difference in morbidity between the 2 epizootics may be associated with routes of introduction or intervention strategy dictated by availability of molecular diagnostic techniques. Unexpectedly, EHV-1 was not more commonly associated with post abortion complications., (© 2014 EVJ Ltd.)

Preterm labor (PTL), myometrial activity, and accompanying cervical changes can lead to the loss of pregnancy via resorption or abortion before term gestation. Idiopathic PTL has no metabolic, infectious, congenital, traumatic, or toxic cause identified; however, hypoluteoidism has been hypothesized to cause PTL in the bitch, based on progesterone measurements at the time of clinical pregnancy loss. This study documents the use of tocodynamometry to detect PTL in 5 bitches; progesterone measurements in these bitches were normal for pregnancy at the time PTL was diagnosed., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is an important reproductive pathogen of cattle worldwide. The reproductive outcome of BVDV infection is largely dependent on the immune status of the dam and the stage of gestation at the time of infection. Potential sequelae include failure of conception, abortion, a variety of congenital malformations, and fetal infection. Vaccination is a possible tool in the control of BVDV, and there has been a recently renewed focus on providing fetal protection through vaccination. Consequently, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of BVDV vaccination to prevent reproductive disease by performing a quantitative synthesis of previously published studies. Pertinent articles to be included in the analysis were identified by performing a search in four relevant scientific databases (PubMed, CAB abstracts, National Agricultural Library catalog, and Web of Science) and examining the reference lists of 10 germane review articles. Inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis mandated that the studies were controlled, primary studies that included necessary data for use in the meta-analysis (e.g., group size, number of abortions). Forty-six studies in 41 separate articles matched the inclusion criteria. Risk ratio effect sizes were used in random effects, weighted meta-analyses to assess the impact of BVDV vaccination on three outcomes: risk of fetal infection, abortion risk, and pregnancy risk. Within each outcome, subanalyses were performed to evaluate the effect of a variety of interventions, including modified live, inactivated, polyvalent and monovalent vaccination, homologous, heterologous, or field challenge, and studies with only bovine subjects. The analysis revealed a decrease in abortions of nearly 45% and a nearly 85% decrease in fetal infection rate in cattle vaccinated for BVDV compared with unvaccinated cohorts. Additionally, pregnancy risk was increased by approximately 5% in field trials of BVDV vaccinates. This meta-analysis provides quantitative support for the benefit of vaccination in the prevention of BVDV-associated reproductive disease., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Endometrial lymphocytes are recruited to the porcine maternal-fetal interface by conceptus-derived signals. The transiently recruited lymphocytes adopt a specialized phenotype in the endometrium that regulates various placental physiological processes, including angiogenesis. Small non-coding RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as principal bio-molecules regulating the development of lymphocytes and their angiogenic functions. However, no information is available in the context of endometrial lymphocytes in pregnancy. We hypothesize that miRNAs are involved in the development of endometrial lymphocytes and their angiogenic functions at the porcine maternal-fetal interface. Using a targeted Q-PCR approach for selected miRNAs involved in immune cell development, angiogenesis, and anti-angiogenesis, we conducted a study to screen endometrial lymphocytes associated with healthy and spontaneously arresting conceptus attachment sites (CAS) at two well-defined periods of fetal loss. Comparisons were made with endometrium and trophoblasts associated with healthy and arresting CAS. In addition, levels of putative mRNA targets and subsequent functional clustering of genes were studied in order to predict the biological mechanisms affected. We found several significant differences for miRNAs involved in immune cell development and angiogenesis (miR-296-5P, miR-150, miR-17P-5P, miR-18a, and miR-19a) between endometrial lymphocytes associated with healthy and arresting CAS. Significant differences were also found in endometrium and trophoblasts for some miRNAs (miR-20b, miR-17-5P, miR-18a, miR-15b-5P, and miR-222). Finally, selected mRNA targets showed differential expression in all groups. Our data, although associative, are the first to unravel the selected miRNAs involved in immune cell development and provide insights into their possible regulation in abortive pregnancy., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bovine brucellosis is an economically important disease which seriously affects dairy farming by causing colossal losses. It can be controlled by practicing vaccination of animals with Brucella abortus S19 vaccine (S19 vaccine). In the present study, adult bovines were vaccinated on seven dairy farms with a reduced dose of S19 vaccine to control brucellosis. Serological screening of adult animals (N = 1,082) by Rose Bengal test (RBT) and ELISA prior to vaccination revealed the presence and absence of brucellosis on five and two farms, respectively. The positive animals (N = 171) were segregated and those which tested negative (N = 911) were vaccinated by conjunctival route with a booster after 4 months. The conjunctival vaccination induced weak antibody response in animals, which vanished within a period of 9 to 12 weeks. Abortion in 12 animals at various stages of pregnancy and post-vaccination was recorded, but none was attributed to S19 vaccine. However, virulent B. abortus was incriminated in six heifers, and the cause of abortion could not be established in six animals. The six aborted heifers perhaps acquired infection through in utero transmission or from the environment which remained undetected until abortion. These findings suggested that vaccination of adult animals with a reduced dose of S19 vaccine by conjunctival route did not produce adverse effects like abortion in pregnant animals and persistent vaccinal antibody titers, which are the major disadvantages of subcutaneous vaccination of adult animals.

At present, bovine neosporosis is an important worldwide concern because of its wide geographic distribution and economic impact. Abortion is the main clinical sign of bovine neosporosis in both dairy and beef cattle. Ruminant challenge models are critical to evaluate potential vaccine candidates to help tackle bovine neosporosis and to study pathogenesis and host responses to infection. Several research groups have developed ruminant models of Neospora caninum infection independently of others, resulting in a high degree of variability due to the use of different species of animals, breeds, strains/isolates of N. caninum, doses, routes and times of inoculation. Standardization is greatly needed to advance research in a more collaborative, timely and efficient manner. In the absence of widely accepted international guidelines, this manuscript serves to summarize and discuss the different models and parameters currently in use. Parameters essential for the development of non-pregnant and pregnant ruminant models are outlined and the main knowledge gaps are identified. This information could act as the basis to develop a consensus for international standard guidelines for ruminant models of neosporosis that would be helpful for researchers in this field worldwide.

Recent work has highlighted and enumerated the economic annual losses due to Neospora caninum abortions worldwide, which should provide strong motivation for the control of bovine neosporosis. However, with the recent withdrawal from sale of the only commercially available vaccine, control options for N. caninum have become more restricted. While researchers continue to work on developing alternative efficacious vaccines, what are the control options presently available for the cattle industries? At the practical level, recommendations for 'Test-and-cull', or 'not breeding from seropositive dams' stand diametrically opposed to alternative options put forward that suggest a primary producer is better advised to keep those cows in the herd that are already seropositive, i.e., assumed to be chronically infected, and indeed those that have already aborted once. Treatment with a coccidiostat has been recommended as the only economically viable option, yet no such treatment has gained official, regulatory approval. Dogs are central to the life cycle of N. caninum and have repeatedly been associated with infection and abortions in cattle by epidemiological studies. Knowledge and understanding of that pivotal role should be able to be put to use in control programmes. The present review canvasses the relevant literature for evidence for control options for N. caninum (some of them proven, many not) and assesses them in the light of the authors' knowledge and experience with control of N. caninum.