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Author:
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García Ispierto, Irina; Nogareda, Carmina; Yániz Pérez de Albéniz, Jesús; Almería, S.; Martínez Bello, D.; López Gatius, Fernando; de Sousa, N. M.; Beckers, J. F.
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Notes:
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Q fever is a zoonotic infection caused by Coxiella burnetii that is endemic worldwide. Domestic ruminants are a source of
infection for humans. Given the suggestion that the bacterium recrudesces during pregnancy in cattle, this study was designed to
determine whether C. burnetii infection affects hormonal patterns, such as progesterone, cortisol, pregnancy associated glycoproteins
(PAG), and prolactin during gestation in lactating cows. Possible interactions with Neospora caninum were also explored.
The study was performed on 58 gestating non-aborting cows. Blood samples for hormone determinations were collected on Days
40, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 210 of gestation. For antibody determinations, blood was collected at day 40 postinsemination and
postpartum. By GLM repeated measures analysis of variance, we established the effects of production and reproductive variables
as well as Coxiella and Neospora seropositivity related to changes on cortisol, PAG, progesterone, and prolactin levels. Coxiella
antibody levels were significantly related to cortisol, PAG, and plasma progesterone concentrations, whereas Neospora seropositivity
was linked to plasma progesterone concentrations. The interaction between Coxiella and Neospora seropositivity was
correlated with cortisol and plasma progesterone levels, whereas the interaction seropositivity against C. burnetii-plasma cortisol
concentration was related to plasma PAG levels. Finally, an effect of lactation number only was observed on plasma prolactin.
Our findings suggest that both the N. caninum and C. burnetii infection or the presence of both modify endocrine patterns
throughout gestation. Cows seropositive to both, Neospora and Coxiella, showed higher plasma progesterone levels than the
remaining animals examined. Seropositivity to C. burnetii was associated with placental damage and diminishing PAG levels
throughout the second half of gestation, along with increased plasma cortisol levels on Day 180 of gestation.
© 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
This work was supported by the Spanish CICYT, grants AGL2007-65521-C02-01/GAN, AGL2007-65521-C02-02/GAN. |
