Detection of antibodies against Brucella abortus, Leptospira spp., and Apicomplexa protozoa in water buffaloes in the Northeast of Argentina

Abstract

Water buffalo industry has become a profitable activity worldwide, including the Northeast of Argentina (NEA). However, research on diseases affecting this species is scarce. The aim of the present study was to detect antibodies against Brucella abortus, Leptospira spp., Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, and Sarcocystis spp. in 500 water buffalo cows from five ranches (100 animals each) in the NEA. Serum samples were tested for B. abortus by fluorescence polarization assay, Leptospira spp. by microagglutination test, and N. caninum, T. gondii, and Sarcocystis spp. by indirect fluorescent antibody tests. Overall, the proportion of seropositive animals was 6.4, 22.2, 42.2, 25.4, and 50.8 % for brucellosis, leptospirosis, neosporosis, toxoplasmosis, and sarcocystosis, respectively. The proportion of seropositive animals for all diseases was statistically different among herds (p < 0.05). Statistical differences were also detected among age groups for brucellosis and neosporosis (p < 0.05). The detection of specific antibodies to B. abortus, Leptospira spp., and several Apicomplexa protozoans in water buffaloes in the NEA is reported in this study.

Antibodies against Neospora caninum, Sarcocystis spp. and Toxoplasma gondii detected in buffaloes from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

“…in buffaloes have been reported in various countries and detected by different assays. The seroprevalence in Argentina was 50.8% detected by IFAT (Konrad et al 2013). In Iran were detected 54.3% animals positive by ELISA (Ghorbanpoor et al 2007), from Egypt was verified that 67.6 % and 63.6 % of the serum samples were seropositive to sarcocystosis by ELISA and indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA), respectively (Ashmawy et al 2014).…”

“…Serum samples were diluted in PBS at 1:100 (Konrad et al 2013) positive and negative buffalo serum was used as control for all protozoa tested. Commercial fluorescein-labeled anti-bovine IgG© (Goat Anti-Bovine IgG FITC ® , 160A, Southern Biotech, Oxmoor Blvd, Birmingham, USA) was used as the secondary antibody.…”

“…Studies showing the seroprevalence for Sarcocystis spp. in buffaloes they are rare, but in Argentina Konrad et al (2013) reported an occurrence of 50.8% of seropositive animals for this protozoan.…”

“…Antibodies against N. caninum and T. gondii have been show in buffaloes in various countries, nevertheless in Southern Brazil the evidence of these protozoa are still scarce. Seroprevalence studies for N. caninum in buffaloes showed a positivity ranging from 1.5% to 70.9% and are described in southeastern and northern region of Brazil (Fujii et al 2001, Gennari et al 2005, Argentina (Campero et al 2007, Konrad et al 2013, Egypt (Dubey et al 1998), India (Meenakshi et al 2007), Vietnam (Huong et al 1998), and Italy (Guarino et al 2000). Seroprevalence to T. gondii are described in Brazil (Silva et al 2010), Argentina (Konrad et al 2013), Vietnan (Huong et al 1998), Iran (Navidpour & Hoghooghi-Rad 1998), and India (Sharma et al 2008) with the seropositivity ranging from 1.1% to 25.4%.…”

“…However, the effects of these diseases in buffaloes are less deleterious than in bovine (Michelizzi et al 2010). Sarcocystis spp., Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are Apicomplexa protozoa that have worldwide distribution and require an intermediate and a definitive host to complete the life cycle and also have been reported in buffaloes (Dubey et al 1998, Silva et al 2010, Konrad et al 2013. Ruminants can be infected by these parasites through ingesting of the sporocysts or sporulated oocysts present in food or water (Dubey & Lindsay 2006).…”