Evidence that mastitis can cause pregnancy loss in dairy cows: A systematic review of observational studies

Mohammad O Dahl; Fiona P Maunsell; Albert De Vries; Klibs N Galvao; Carlos A Risco; Jorge A Hernandez

doi:10.3168/jds.2017-12711

Evidence that mastitis can cause pregnancy loss in dairy cows: A systematic review of observational studies

J Dairy Sci. 2017 Oct;100(10):8322-8329. doi: 10.3168/jds.2017-12711. Epub 2017 Aug 2.

Authors

Mohammad O Dahl¹, Fiona P Maunsell², Albert De Vries³, Klibs N Galvao⁴, Carlos A Risco², Jorge A Hernandez⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910; Department of Medicine and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq 41002.
² Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910.
³ Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910.
⁴ Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910; D. H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610.
⁵ Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910. Electronic address: hernandezja@ufl.edu.

PMID: 28780088
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2017-12711

Abstract

The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review to identify and assess evidence and knowledge gaps in published observational studies that have investigated the relationship between mastitis and pregnancy loss (PL) in dairy cows. PubMed and ScienceDirect were used to search pertinent peer-reviewed research reports of interest. Screening of research reports was conducted at 3 levels: titles, abstracts, and full-text articles. The search identified 651 records for initial screening. The final screening process identified 8 qualified articles for review after removing 10 duplicate records, 582 titles, 31 abstracts, and 20 full-text articles. Two studies produced strong epidemiologic evidence indicating that (1) exposure to clinical mastitis during early gestation (first 45 d of gestation) is associated with subsequent PL during the following 90 d; and (2) subclinical mastitis 1 to 30 d before artificial insemination (AI) is associated with subsequent PL at 35 to 41 d of gestation. An additional study showed that exposure to clinical mastitis during early lactation in combination with low body condition can increase the risk of PL in dairy cows; however, the interaction effect between clinical mastitis and low body condition on PL was considered weak. Four other studies produced inconclusive evidence indicating that mastitis is a predisposing factor for PL in dairy cows, as the exposure risk period for mastitis overlapped with the follow-up period for diagnosis of PL in dairy cows. Finally, one study failed to identify a relationship between mastitis and PL in dairy cows. Further research is needed to (1) support the hypothesis that mastitis in combination with low body condition score (or other exposure factors) can increase the risk of PL, (2) compare the effect of clinical versus subclinical mastitis on PL, (3) compare the effect of mastitis before breeding and during gestation on PL, and (4) compare the effect of mastitis on PL in dairy cows during different lactations.

Keywords: dairy; mastitis; pregnancy loss; systematic review.

Publication types

Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Abortion, Veterinary / etiology*
Animals
Cattle
Female
Insemination, Artificial / veterinary
Lactation
Mastitis, Bovine / complications*
Observational Studies as Topic
Pregnancy