prevalence of anaplasma phagocytophilum infection and effect on lamb growth流行的红孢子虫属phagocytophilum感染和对羔羊生长的影响.pdfVIP

Grøva et al. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2011, 53:30 /content/53/1/30 RESEARCH Open Access Prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection and effect on lamb growth Lise Grøva1,2*, Ingrid Olesen2,3, Håvard Steinshamn1 and Snorre Stuen4 Abstract Background: A major challenge in sheep farming during the grazing season along the coast of south-western Norway is tick-borne fever (TBF) caused by the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum that is transmitted by the tick Ixodes ricinus. Methods: A study was carried out in 2007 and 2008 to examine the prevalence of A. phagocytophilum infection and effect on weaning weight in lambs. The study included 1208 lambs from farms in Sunndal Ram Circle in Møre and Romsdal County in Mid-Norway, where ticks are frequently observed. All lambs were blood sampled and serum was analyzed by an indirect fluorescent antibody assay (IFA) to determine an antibody status (positive or negative) to A. phagocytophilum infection. Weight and weight gain and possible effect of infection were analyzed using ANOVA and the MIXED procedure in SAS. Results: The overall prevalence of infection with A. phagocytophilum was 55%. A lower weaning weight of 3% (1.34 kg, p 0.01) was estimated in lambs seropositive to an A. phagocytophilum infection compared to seronegative lambs at an average age of 137 days. Conclusions: The results show that A. phagocytophilum infection has an effect on lamb weight gain. The study also support previous findings that A. phagocytophilum infection is widespread in areas where ticks are prevalent, even in flocks treated prophylactic with acaricides. Background that challenges with TBF will increase in Norway in the Tick-borne fever (TBF) is one of the main challenges in coming year