Vascular Doppler Ultrasound evaluation of the mammary gland of goats infected with CAE virus

• Grant number: 11/20728-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: December 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Fabio Celidonio Pogliani
• Grantee: Natalie Kazue Yanasse
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) is a multisystem infectious viral disease that results in high economic losses. Most goats infected with CAE are susceptible to a viral infection of the mammary gland causing indurative mastitis. Milk from infected goats is apparently normal, however, some studies suggest that indurative mastitis is the most important economical component of CAE because the effect of this type of mastitis on milk yield, fat and somatic cell count. The mammary gland blood flow is a determinantal factor of nutritional supply of the gland and there is a correlation between blood flow and milk production in goats. This correlation can be measured by Doppler ultrasound, a noninvasive technique of blood flow mensuration, by velocity and volume flow mammary gland evaluation. In the experiment anatomic and vascular alterations will be evaluated in caudal superficial epigastric veins of five lactating CAE-seropositive Saanen goats and five lactating CAE-seronegative Saanen goats by Doppler ultrasound, both groups with negative bacteriological examination of milk.