Peripheral white blood cell counts throughout pregnancy in non-aborting Neospora caninum-seronegative and seropositive high-producing dairy cows in a Holstein Friesian herd |
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Authors: | B Serrano S Almería I García-Ispierto JL Yániz A Abdelfattah-Hassan F López-Gatius |
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Institution: | aDepartment of Animal Production, University of Lleida, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agraria, Lleida, Spain;bCentre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB-IRTA, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain;cDepartament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain;dDepartment of Animal Production, University of Zaragoza, Huesca, Spain |
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Abstract: | Pregnancy is characterized by transient changes in the maternal immune system, also evident at peripheral level. The present study analyzes the kinetics and possible factors affecting peripheral white blood cell populations throughout pregnancy in a herd of high-producing dairy cows chronically infected or not with Neospora caninum. We examined 54 pregnant parous cows: 29 Neospora-seronegative and 25 Neospora-seropositive cows. Blood samples were collected on Days 90, 120, 150, 180 and 210 of gestation. General Linear Model (GLM) repeated measures analysis of variance showed that the interaction Neospora-seropositivity × parity significantly affected total leukocyte, neutrophil and monocyte counts with lower levels of total leukocytes, lower neutrophil and higher monocyte counts recorded in primiparous Neospora-seropositive cows. In addition, N. caninum-seropositive cows had significantly increased monocyte counts on Day 180 of gestation compared to seronegative ones. Other factors significantly associated with changes in total and/or differential leukocyte profiles were period of pregnancy, season, twin pregnancy and milk production. In conclusion, a parity-associated effect of chronic N. caninum infection was observed on peripheral blood cell profiles in dairy cattle during gestation. |
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Keywords: | Neospora caninum Dairy cows Pregnancy White blood cells |
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