Trematode infections in pregnant ewes can predispose to mastitis during the subsequent lactation period.

摘要

Objective was to investigate if trematode infections predispose ewes to mastitis and/or metritis. We used 80 trematode-infected ewes: primigravidae in group P-A and multigravidae in M-A remained untreated, primigravidae in P-B and multigravidae in M-B were drenched with netobimin and multigravidae in M-C were given rafoxanide. We collected faecal samples for parasitological examination, blood samples for beta -hydroxybutyrate concentration measurement and uterine content, teat duct material and milk samples for bacteriological examination. We found significant differences in blood beta -hydroxybutyrate concentrations between M-A, M-B and M-C during pregnancy (P<=0.002). We did not observe significant differences between groups regarding development of metritis (P>0.83). We found that for M-A, M-B and M-C ewes, respectively, median time to first case of mastitis was 5.75, 21 and 6.75 days after lambing (P =0.003) and incidence risk of mastitis was 0.308, 0.069 and 0.222 (P=0.047). We postulate that trematode infections predispose ewes to mastitis; perhaps, increased beta -hydroxybutyrate blood concentrations adversely affect mammary cellular defences. This is the first report associating parasitic infections with mastitis in sheep.