+ Models VETPAR-4276; No of Pages 7 Risk factors associated with Tritrichomonas foetus infection in beef herds in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina F.O. Mardones a , A.M. Perez a,b, * , A. Martı ´nez c , T.E. Carpenter a a Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA b CONICET, Argentina c Laboratorio Azul, Azul, Buenos Aires, Argentina Received 13 December 2007; received in revised form 19 January 2008; accepted 24 January 2008 Abstract Bovine trichomonosis (BT) is a contagious disease, characterized by reproductive failure, embryonic losses, infertility, and abortions, which directly impacts the reproductive performance of cattle. In this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, 56 veterinarians provided information on the geographic location and on the demographic, husbandry, and sanitary characteristics of 173 beef herds located in 26 (21%) counties of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Herds rearing beef cattle (OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.0, 6.3), with low pregnancy rate in cows (90%) (OR = 4.1, 95% CI = 1.5, 10.8), sharing livestock with other owners or farmers (OR = 5.4, 95% CI = 1.8, 16.5), and where trichomonosis was reported during the previous year (OR = 4.1, 95% CI = 1.7, 9.6) were at significantly greater risk of being BT positive. This study provided information for future risk assessment and/or management plans for the prevention and control of BT in a region where the disease is considered to be endemic. # 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Tritrichomonas foetus; Bovine trichomonosis; Venereal disease; Beef cattle 1. Introduction Bovine trichomonosis (BT) is a contagious venereal disease, characterized by reproductive failure, early embryonic losses, infertility, and abortions, which directly impacts the reproductive performance of cattle (McDonald and McKay, 1960; Yule et al., 1989). The causative agent is Tritrichomonas foetus, a flagellated protozoan found only in the genitalia of cattle (BonDurant, 2007). In bulls, this anaerobic and non- invasive pathogen is confined to the epithelial surface of the penis, prepuce, and urethra, where it typically establishes an asymptomatic and chronic infection (Parker et al., 1999; Cobo et al., 2004). Coitus between susceptible cows and heifers and asymptomatically infected bulls is considered as the main route for T. foetus transmission (Yule et al., 1989; BonDurant, 2007). Thus, use of artificial insemination (AI) has resulted in a substantial reduction not only of trichomonosis incidence but also of other venereal infections (Yule et al., 1989; Foote, 1996; van Bergen et al., 2006). However, in regions where BT is endemic, mechanical transmission by contaminated instruments, semen, or gynecological examinations may also occur (Yule et al., 1989; Rae and Crews, 2006). Indirect losses www.elsevier.com/locate/vetpar Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Veterinary Parasitology xxx (2008) xxx–xxx * Corresponding author at: Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 2108 Tupper Hall, Davis, CA 95616, USA. Tel.: +1 530 752 0336; fax: +1 530 752 1618. E-mail address: amperez@ucdavis.edu (A.M. Perez). 0304-4017/$ – see front matter # 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.01.038 Please cite this article in press as: Mardones, F.O., et al., Risk factors associated with Tritrichomonas foetus infection in beef herds in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Vet. Parasitol. (2008), doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.01.038