Serological investigation on Chlamydophila abortus infection in cattle from Albania

Chlamydophila abortus is a zoonotic pathogen, which can cause abortion in cattle worldwide. However, the knowledge of the epidemiology and prevalence of zoonotic diseases, like Chlamydophila abortus in Albania is limited. Therefore, a total of 185 blood samples were collected from cattle from different regions of Albania between January of 2010 and November of 2011. A commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for the detection of antibodies against Cp. abortus. The results showed 45.3% (43/95), 36% (27/75) and 33.3% (5/15) seropositivity among apparently healthy animals from big dairy herds, from backyard flocks and from aborted individuals, respectively. The average seropositivity (40.5%) of Cp. abortus in Albania was relatively high, compared to other European countries, which is probably related with the bad hygienic conditions in Albanian farms. The increased frequency of contact among the animals is assumed to be the cause of the elevated number of infected animals in big dairy herds compared to small farms. This knowledge of the prevalence of Cp. abortus infection is crucial for policy makers in the process of evidence-based decision making.