Seroprevalences for ovine enzootic abortion in Switzerland

Prev Vet Med. 2004 Oct 14;65(3-4):205-16. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2004.08.005.

Abstract

Our aim was to assess the seroprevalence of Chlamydophila (Cd) abortus (Chlamydia psittaci serotype 1), denoted ovine enzootic abortion (OEA), in the Swiss sheep population. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) was adapted for the investigation of pooled serum samples (pool approach) and receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was applied to define the cut-off of the pool approach. At a cut-off value of 30% inhibition, the flock-level pooled sensitivity and specificity were 92.9% and 97.6% when compared to classifying the flock based on individual-animal samples. Subsequently, sera from 775 randomly selected flocks out of 11 cantons of Switzerland were investigated using the pool approach. The cantons included in the study represented 72% of the Swiss sheep flocks and 76% of Swiss sheep population. Antibodies against Cd. abortus were found in almost 19% (144) of the 775 examined sheep flocks. Test prevalences were adjusted for the imperfect test characteristics using the Rogan-Gladen estimator and Bayesian inference. Seroprevalence was highest (43%) in the canton Graubunden. In the remaining 10 cantons the seroprevalence ranged from 2 to 29%. The cELISA in combination with testing pooled sera and statistical methods for true prevalence estimation provided a good survey tool at lower costs and time when compared to other approaches.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Veterinary / blood
  • Abortion, Veterinary / epidemiology*
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
  • Chlamydophila psittaci / immunology
  • Chlamydophila psittaci / isolation & purification*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary*
  • Psittacosis / epidemiology
  • Psittacosis / veterinary*
  • ROC Curve
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Sheep
  • Sheep Diseases / blood
  • Sheep Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Switzerland / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial