Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Chlamydophila abortus infection in dairy goats in the Northeast of Brazil1

Santos C.S.A.B., Piatti R.M., Azevedo S.S., Alves C.J., Higino S.S.S., Silva M.L.C.R., Brasil A.W.L. & Gennari S.M. 2012. Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Chlamydophila abortus infection in dairy goats in the Northeast of Brazil. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 32(11):1082-1086. Unidade Acadêmica de Medicina Veterinária, Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Av. Universitária s/n, Bairro Santa Cecília, Patos, PB 58700-970, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] Few data are available on the prevalence and risk factors of Chlamydophila abortus infection in goats in Brazil. A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the lock-level prevalence of C. abortus infection in goats from the semiarid region of the Paraíba State, Northeast region of Brazil, as well as to identify risk factors associated with the infection. Flocks were randomly selected and a pre-established number of female goats ≥ 12 mo old were sampled in each of these locks. A total of 975 serum samples from 110 locks were collected, and structured questionnaire focusing on risk factors for C. abortus infection was given to each farmer at the time of blood collection. For the serological diagnosis the complement ixation test (CFT) using C. abortus S26/3 strain as antigen was performed. The lock-level factors for C. abortus prevalence were tested using multivariate logistic regression model. Fiftyive locks out of 110 presented at least one seropositive animal with an overall prevalence of 50.0% (95%; CI: 40.3%, 59.7%). Ninety-one out of 975 dairy goats examined were seropositive with titers ≥32, resulting in a frequency of 9.3%. Lend buck for breeding (odds ratio = 2.35; 95% CI: 1.04-5.33) and history of abortions (odds ratio = 3.06; 95% CI: 1.37-6.80) were associated with increased lock prevalence.