BACKGROUND: Schistosoma reflexum (SR) is congenital syndrome briefly characterized by visceral eventration, severe dorsoflexion and ankylosis of the spine and arthrogryposis. A genetic etiology has been proposed, but conclusive evidence has not yet been provided. METHODS: Pedigree analysis was carried out in 29 cases of SR in Czech Holsteins and Holstein crosses. Genetic relationship was evaluated and inbreeding coefficients calculated. Pedigrees of 15 Czech Holsteins fathering non-SR affected calves were used for comparison. RESULTS: Twenty-one cases occurred in one pedigree founded by three sires while three SR calves occurred in another pedigree with a common grandfather. The sex ratio between affected males and females was 11:6. Affected calves shared common ancestors different from those shared by the unaffected calves. The inbreeding coefficient in the SR affected calves was not increased compared to unaffected calves. CONCLUSIONS: The findings are consistent with SR being inherited autosomal recessively. Further studies are however needed to confirm this and therefore a breeding trial is recommended where a suspected heterozygous sire is mated to closely related females.

Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding Faculty of Agriculture South Bohemia University Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic

See more in PubMed

Saperstein G. Congenital abnormalities of internal organs and body cavities. Vet Clin North Amer. 1993;9(1):115–125. PubMed

Bezek DM, Frazer GS. Schistosomus reflexus in large animals. Comp Cont Educ Vet Pract. 1994;16:1393–1396.

Buck BC, Ulrich R, Wohlsein P, Distl O. A case of schistosoma reflexum in a black and white German Holstein calf. Dtsch Tierarztl Wchschr. 2009;10:363–368.

Cavalieri J, Farin PW. Birth of a Holstein freemartin calf co-twinned to a schistosomus reflexus fetus. Theriogenol. 1999;52:815–826. doi: 10.1016/S0093-691X(99)00174-0. PubMed DOI

Laughton KW, Fisher KRS, Halina WG, Partlow GD. Schistosomus reflexus syndrome: a heritable defect in ruminants. Anat Histol Embryol. 2005;34:312–318. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0264.2005.00624.x. PubMed DOI

Plemdat. http://iserv.plemdat.cz/

Agerholm J, Bendixen C, Andersen O, Arnbjerg J. Complex vertebral malformation in Holstein calves. J Vet Diagn Invest. 2001;13:283–289. doi: 10.1177/104063870101300401. PubMed DOI

Jackson PG. Schistosomus reflexus. Vet Rec. 1987;121:235–236. PubMed

Charlier C, Coppieters W, Rollin F, Desmecht D, Agerholm J, Cambisano N, Carta E, Dardano S, Dive M, Fasquelle C, Frennet J-C, Hanset R, Hubin X, Jorgensen C, Karim L, Kent M, Harvey K, Pearce BR, Simon P, Tama N, Nie H, Vandeputte S, Lien S, Longeri M, Fredholm M, Harvey RJ, Georges M. Highly effective SNP-based association mapping and management of recessive defects in livestock. Nat Genet. 2008;40:449–454. doi: 10.1038/ng.96. PubMed DOI

Bedford PGC. Schistosoma reflexus in a goat: a case report. Vet Rec. 1967;80:326.

Knight RP. The occurrence of schistosomus reflexus in bovine dystocia. Aust Vet J. 1996;73:105–107. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1996.tb09988.x. PubMed DOI

Morton DH, Cox JE. Bovine dystocia: a survey of 200 cases met with in general practice. Vet Rec. 1968;82:530–537.

Smith ID. Schistosomus reflexus in conjoined twin lambs. Vet Rec. 1969;85:138–139. doi: 10.1136/vr.85.6.138. PubMed DOI

Wiliams EI. Schistosomus reflexus as twin to normal calf. Vet Rec. 1952;64:422.