{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,24]],"date-time":"2026-02-24T06:44:13Z","timestamp":1771915453916,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]],"date-time":"2022-05-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1652832000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"FCT-Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia, I.P."}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study aimed to assess the effect of Besnoitia besnoiti infection on the reproductive and productive performance of a dairy cattle herd. A serological screening was performed by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) on every animal aged over one year (n = 262). Subsequently, 211 animals were clinically examined, with 96 of those being screened for detection of sclerocysts. The overall seroprevalence was 62.9% (CI95%: 56.1\u201369.5%). On clinical examination, 7.6% (16\/211) of the animals presented chronic skin lesions, and 47.9% (46\/96) had sclerocysts. Multivariate logistic regression showed that the time on herd represented a risk factor, and the odds of acquiring the infection increased 1.683\u00d7 per additional year on herd, ranging from less than a year to 8 years. Seropositivity and the presence of sclerocysts revealed an association with a higher milk somatic cell count, which may have a considerable economic impact on dairy production. Regarding reproductive indicators, no negative impact could be associated with clinical besnoitiosis or positive serological results. In conclusion, our study highlights the need to thoroughly evaluate the economic impact of this emerging disease in dairy herd production to help with decision making at both herd and regional levels, particularly in endemic areas.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani12101291","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]],"date-time":"2022-05-18T11:59:37Z","timestamp":1652875177000},"page":"1291","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Impact of Endemic Besnoitiosis on the Performance of a Dairy Cattle Herd"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Catarina","family":"Anast\u00e1cio","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CIISA\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2524-9887","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ricardo","family":"Bexiga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIISA\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio Associado para Ci\u00eancia Animal e Veterin\u00e1ria (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Sofia","family":"Nolasco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIISA\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio Associado para Ci\u00eancia Animal e Veterin\u00e1ria (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Sa\u00fade de Lisboa, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Sara","family":"Z\u00faquete","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIISA\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio Associado para Ci\u00eancia Animal e Veterin\u00e1ria (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7369-2883","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"In\u00eas L. S.","family":"Delgado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIISA\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio Associado para Ci\u00eancia Animal e Veterin\u00e1ria (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade Lus\u00f3fona, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4388-5366","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Telmo","family":"Nunes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIISA\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio Associado para Ci\u00eancia Animal e Veterin\u00e1ria (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Alexandre","family":"Leit\u00e3o","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIISA\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio Associado para Ci\u00eancia Animal e Veterin\u00e1ria (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"407","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pt.2013.06.002","article-title":"A Century of Bovine Besnoitiosis: An Unknown Disease Re-Emerging in Europe","volume":"29","author":"Frey","year":"2013","journal-title":"Trends Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"114","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00932710","article-title":"Besnoitia Besnoiti: Studies on the Definitive Host and Experimental Infections in Cattle","volume":"75","author":"Diesing","year":"1988","journal-title":"Parasitol. Res."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2011.01.027","article-title":"Exploring the Life Cycle of Besnoitia Besnoiti-Experimental Infection of Putative Definitive and Intermediate Host Species","volume":"178","author":"Basso","year":"2011","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-019-3871-3","article-title":"Species-Specific Differences in Toxoplasma Gondii, Neospora Caninum and Besnoitia Besnoiti Seroprevalence in Namibian Wildlife","volume":"13","author":"Seltmann","year":"2020","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3156","DOI":"10.1111\/tbed.14206","article-title":"Molecular Survey of Besnoitia Spp. (Apicomplexa) in Faeces from European Wild Mesocarnivores in Spain","volume":"68","author":"Habela","year":"2021","journal-title":"Transbound. Emerg. Dis."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"737","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijpara.2017.08.003","article-title":"Advances in the Diagnosis of Bovine Besnoitiosis: Current Options and Applications for Control","volume":"47","author":"Ferre","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"3","article-title":"New Concepts on the Epidemiological Features of Bovine Besnoitiosis as Determined by Laboratory and Field Investigations","volume":"35","author":"Bigalke","year":"1968","journal-title":"Onderstepoort J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"226","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2006.05.022","article-title":"Isolation of Besnoitia Besnoiti from Infected Cattle in Portugal","volume":"141","author":"Cortes","year":"2006","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2010.11.030","article-title":"A Longitudinal Study of Besnoitia Besnoiti Infections and Seasonal Abundance of Stomoxys Calcitrans in a Dairy Cattle Farm of Southwest France","volume":"177","author":"Salem","year":"2011","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"818","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.b4874","article-title":"Development and Use of an Indirect ELISA in an Outbreak of Bovine Besnoitiosis in Spain","volume":"166","author":"Castillo","year":"2010","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1111\/mve.12356","article-title":"Stomoxys Calcitrans, Mechanical Vector of Virulent Besnoitia Besnoiti from Chronically Infected Cattle to Susceptible Rabbit","volume":"33","author":"Sharif","year":"2019","journal-title":"Med. Vet. Entomol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1406","DOI":"10.1017\/S0031182014000262","article-title":"A Review on Bovine Besnoitiosis: A Disease with Economic Impact in Herd Health Management, Caused by Besnoitia Besnoiti (Franco and Borges)","volume":"141","author":"Cortes","year":"2014","journal-title":"Parasitology"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"EFSA (2010). Bovine Besnoitiosis: An Emerging Disease in Europe. EFSA J., 8, 1499.","DOI":"10.2903\/j.efsa.2010.1499"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1186\/1756-3305-7-20","article-title":"Bovine Besnoitiosis Emerging in Central-Eastern Europe, Hungary","volume":"7","author":"Hornok","year":"2014","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"585","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-014-0585-4","article-title":"Besnoitia Besnoiti among Cattle in Insular and Northwestern Italy: Endemic Infection or Isolated Outbreaks?","volume":"7","author":"Gazzonis","year":"2014","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"205","article-title":"First Confirmed Case of Bovine Besnoitiosis in an Imported Bull in Belgium","volume":"84","author":"Vanhoudt","year":"2015","journal-title":"Vlaams Diergeneeskd. Tijdschr."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"608","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.103683","article-title":"Bovine Besnoitiosis (Besnoitia Besnoiti) in an Irish Dairy Herd","volume":"178","author":"Ryan","year":"2016","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"201","article-title":"Percep\u00e7\u00e3o Da Besnoitiose Bovina Em Portugal\u2014Question\u00e1rio Aos M\u00e9dicos Veterin\u00e1rios de Campo","volume":"110","author":"Waap","year":"2015","journal-title":"Rev. Port. Ci\u00eancias Veterin\u00e1rias"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ramalho Ribeiro, J.M.C., Horta, A.E.M., Mosconi, C., and Rosati, A. (2006). Besnoitia besnoiti impact on fertility of cattle exploited in Mediterranean pastures (Alentejo). Animal Products from the Mediterranean Area, Wageningen Academic Publishers.","DOI":"10.3920\/978-90-8686-568-0"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2257","DOI":"10.1007\/s00436-020-06695-3","article-title":"Pathological Findings in Genital Organs of Bulls Naturally Infected with Besnoitia Besnoiti","volume":"119","author":"Marco","year":"2020","journal-title":"Parasitol. Res."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2010.08.013","article-title":"Bovine Besnoitiosis: Epidemiological and Clinical Aspects","volume":"174","author":"Jacquiet","year":"2010","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3459","DOI":"10.1007\/s00436-019-06501-9","article-title":"Bovine Besnoitiosis in an Endemically Infected Dairy Cattle Herd in Italy: Serological and Clinical Observations, Risk Factors, and Effects on Reproductive and Productive Performances","volume":"118","author":"Villa","year":"2019","journal-title":"Parasitol. Res."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3703","DOI":"10.1007\/s00436-014-4035-1","article-title":"Prevalence and Geographic Distribution of Besnoitia Besnoiti Infection in Cattle Herds in Portugal","volume":"113","author":"Waap","year":"2014","journal-title":"Parasitol. Res."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4673","DOI":"10.1016\/j.febslet.2006.07.050","article-title":"Microtubule Cytoskeleton Behavior in the Initial Steps of Host Cell Invasion by Besnoitia Besnoiti","volume":"580","author":"Reis","year":"2006","journal-title":"FEBS Lett."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1016\/S0304-4017(02)00030-4","article-title":"Immunological Relationship between Neospora Caninum and Besnoitia Besnoiti","volume":"106","author":"Shkap","year":"2002","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-015-1058-0","article-title":"Vector-Borne Transmission of Besnoitia Besnoiti by Blood-Sucking and Secretophagous Flies: Epidemiological and Clinicopathological Implications","volume":"8","author":"Hornok","year":"2015","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"328","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2014.02.013","article-title":"Seroprevalence of Besnoitia Besnoiti Infection and Associated Risk Factors in Cattle from an Endemic Region in Europe","volume":"200","author":"Quiteria","year":"2014","journal-title":"Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1016\/j.parint.2018.12.001","article-title":"Besnoitia Besnoiti Seroprevalence in Beef, Dairy and Bullfighting Cattle in Catalonia (North-Eastern Spain): A Cross-Sectional Study","volume":"69","author":"Romero","year":"2019","journal-title":"Parasitol. Int."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2016.12.018","article-title":"Epidemiological Patterns of Bovine Besnoitiosis in an Endemic Beef Cattle Herd Reared under Extensive Conditions","volume":"236","author":"Calvete","year":"2017","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2015.12.016","article-title":"Naturally Acquired Bovine Besnoitiosis: Differential Distribution of Parasites in the Skin of Chronically Infected Cattle","volume":"216","author":"Schares","year":"2016","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2013.04.023","article-title":"Chronic Bovine Besnoitiosis: Intra-Organ Parasite Distribution, Parasite Loads and Parasite-Associated Lesions in Subclinical Cases","volume":"197","author":"Frey","year":"2013","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2010.03.017","article-title":"Comparative Evaluation of Immunofluorescent Antibody and New Immunoblot Tests for the Specific Detection of Antibodies against Besnoitia Besnoiti Tachyzoites and Bradyzoites in Bovine Sera","volume":"171","author":"Schares","year":"2010","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"529","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-020-04405-7","article-title":"Real-Time PCR on Skin Biopsies for Super-Spreaders\u2019 Detection in Bovine Besnoitiosis","volume":"13","author":"Grisez","year":"2020","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/12\/10\/1291\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T23:13:53Z","timestamp":1760138033000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/12\/10\/1291"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]]},"references-count":33,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5]]}},"alternative-id":["ani12101291"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani12101291","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]]}}}