Despite frequent reports of subfertility and abortion in dairy cattle in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), little is known about the potential infectious and non-infectious causes. This study set out to investigate possible infectious causes of reproductive problems by measuring the seroprevalence of four of the most significant reproductive pathogens in dairy cattle worldwide: Brucella abortus (B. abortus); Neospora caninum (N. caninum), Bovine Viral Diarrhoea virus (BVDV), and Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV). These four reproductive pathogens have been suspected to be present in dairy cattle in T&T for some time but, previously, studies have not been carried out to confirm their presence. Bulk milk samples were collected from 92 dairy farms across Trinidad, representing a total of 1177 dairy cattle. Four dairy farms were selected for individual milk sampling to assess in-farm seroprevalence levels. Milk samples were tested for antibodies to the four pathogens by commercial ELISA kits. The overall farm seroprevalence was 62% for N. caninium and 23% for IBRV, and no antibodies were detected in any of the bulk milk samples for B. abortus or BVDV. Mixed infections for IBRV and N. caninum were common. Seroprevalence levels were between 8% and 65% for N. caninum and between 3% and 53% IBRV on the four individual farms. These results reveal the presence of IBRV and N. caninum for the first time on the island of Trinidad and importantly reveal no evidence for the circulation of BVDV or B. abortus in dairy cattle in Trinidad.

Introduction: Ticks and the pathogens they transmit are widespread in Caribbean animal populations. There is; however, limited information on the diversity of ticks and tick‐borne pathogens (TTBPs) in the region. This study aims to identify TTBPs across multiple Caribbean countries using a high‐throughput real‐time microfluidic PCR system. Methods: Six Caribbean territories: Barbados, Guyana, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Tobago and Trinidad were targeted in this study. Nucleic acids were extracted from individual ticks, and a high‐throughput microfluidic real‐time PCR system was used to screen for 49 bacterial species (10 genera) and 18 protozoan species (six genera). Five tick species were detected using morphological or molecular techniques. Results: A total of 840 ticks were tested from 155 dogs and 111 cattle. Morphological and molecular diagnostic methods detected five tick species: Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.), Rhipicephalus microplus , Amblyomma variegatum , Amblyomma ovale and Amblyomma cajennense s.l. Overall, the DNA of 18 pathogens belonging to eight genera was detected in 22.5% (189/840) ticks obtained from both cattle (96/335) and dogs (93/505). The most prevalent pathogens were Anaplasma marginale 14% (47/335) and Hepatozoon canis 3.4% (17/505) in cattle and dog ticks, respectively. Dual and triple infections were also detected in 3.3% ( n = 28) and 0.6 % ( n = 5) of tested ticks, respectively. The DNA of Ehrlichia ruminantium was detected in R. sanguineus and A . variegatum from dogs in Barbados‐ a first record for this island. Another key finding was the novel detection of a Borrelia sp. in a R. sanguineus s.l. tick from Trinidad. Conclusion: The high diversity of pathogens detected in this study, with some being of veterinary and public health importance, highlights the strength of the high‐throughput microfluidic real‐time PCR system as a surveillance tool for the efficient and rapid detection of tick‐borne pathogens (TBPs) of veterinary, public health and economic significance in the Caribbean.

A six-year-old female goat was presented to the veterinary teaching hospital of the University of the West Indies with a history of progressive hind-limb paresis lasting two weeks. The doe developed a grade 6/6 holosystolic murmur during hospitalisation. Echocardiography revealed vegetative growths attached to cusps of the mitral and aortic valves. There was an accelerated aortic flow at 2.9 m/s and aortic insufficiency. The aortic vegetation was prolapsing into the left ventricle during diastole, causing it to contact the septal mitral valve leaflet. A diagnosis of mitral and aortic vegetative endocarditis, with a mitral kissing vegetation and mild aortic stenosis, was reached. The patient was placed on broad-spectrum antimicrobials. A short-term follow-up showed no resolution of clinical signs, and the animal eventually died. Post-mortem examination showed severe vegetative, fibrino-necrotic, aortic and mitral valve lesions. The goat also had a severe fibrino-suppurative mastitis. Histopathology confirmed the lesions to be vegetative endocarditis.