Progesterone supplementation during mid-gestation increases the risk of abortion in Neospora-infected dairy cows with high antibody titres
Issue date
2007Author
Bech Sàbat, Gregori
Santolaria Blasco, Pilar
Pabón, M.
Yániz Pérez de Albéniz, Jesús
Almería, S.
Suggested citation
Bech Sàbat, Gregori;
López Gatius, Fernando;
Santolaria Blasco, Pilar;
García Ispierto, Irina;
Pabón, M.;
Nogareda, Carmina;
...
Almería, S..
(2007)
.
Progesterone supplementation during mid-gestation increases the risk of abortion in Neospora-infected dairy cows with high antibody titres.
Veterinary Parasitology, 2007, vol. 145, núm. 1-2, p. 164-167.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.11.018.
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Progesterone has been reported to reduce Th1 responses during pregnancy. Thus, given that an excessive Th1 response could
lead to abortion in Neospora-infected dairy cows, we hypothesized a reduction in abortion risk following progesterone
supplementation during the mid-gestation period in these animals. Seropositive animals were assigned on day 120 of gestation
to a Control (n = 33) or Treatment (n = 34) group. Treatment consisted of progesterone supplementation by fitting a progesterone
releasing intravaginal device containing 1.55 g of progesterone for 28 days. Mean Neospora caninum antibody titres tested by
ELISA on days 40, 90 and 120 of gestation were used to classify the cows as showing high (30 units) or low (<30 units) titration.
Abortion rate showed a significant increase (P < 0.01) in the Treatment group (35%) compared to the Control (9%). Using logistic
regression procedures, there was a significant (P < 0.0001) interaction between progesterone treatment and antibody titration.
Progesterone-treated cows with a high antibody titre showed a likelihood of abortion 14.3 times higher than those not treated, while
in cows with low antibody titres, exogenous progesterone had not effect. Our results do not support our starting hypothesis and
suggest that progesterone supplementation in cows with high N. caninum antibody titres increases the risk of abortion possibly by
affecting cell-mediated immune responses.