Bacterial, protozoal and viral abortions in sheep and goats in South America: A review

Dorsch, Matías A.; Cantón, Germán; Driemeier, David; Anderson, Margaret Lavinia; Moeller, Robert B.; Giannitti, Federico

doi:10.1016/j.smallrumres.2021.106547

Cited by 12 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…In our series, C. jejuni was detected only once in a mummified fetus aborted by a yearling in a flock of 100 sheep where no other abortions were registered. Although autolysis precluded the identification of eventual lesions, its detection in an aborted fetus indicates that C. jejuni should be considered a probable cause of abortion in sheep in Uruguay ( 21 ). To the best of our knowledge, C. jejuni was identified as an ovine abortifacient only recently and once in South America (Argentina) ( 94 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The two BVDV species and subtypes (1i and 2b) identified here could not be causally associated with the fetal losses according to the diagnostic criterion we set; however, their detection demonstrates active BVDV circulation in pregnant sheep, which is unprecedented in Uruguay. In this context, BVDV should be considered a probable cause of ovine abortion in the country ( 21 ). Furthermore, the immunosuppressive properties of BVDV predispose to secondary infections by opportunistic agents ( 8 , 103 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Monitoring programs for the detection of ovine abortigenic pathogens have been conducted in several European and Oceanic countries with a long-standing tradition in sheep production ( 8 , 12 – 20 ). Such programs have not been implemented systematically in Uruguay or other South American countries, thus the current understanding on the etiology of abortion in local and regional flocks is limited ( 21 ). In Uruguay, only T. gondii and more recently individual cases of Campylobacter spp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diagnostic Investigation of 100 Cases of Abortion in Sheep in Uruguay: 2015–2021

et al. 2022

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The aim of this work was to identify causes of abortion through laboratory investigations in sheep flocks in Uruguay. One hundred cases of abortion, comprising 58 fetuses, 36 fetuses with their placentas, and 6 placentas were investigated in 2015–2021. Cases were subjected to gross and microscopic pathologic examinations, and microbiological and serological testing for the identification of causes of abortion, including protozoal, bacterial, and viral pathogens. An etiologic diagnosis was determined in 46 (46%) cases, including 33 (33%) cases caused by infectious pathogens, as determined by the detection of a pathogen along with the identification of fetoplacental lesions attributable to the detected pathogen. Twenty-seven cases (27%) were caused by Toxoplasma gondii, 5 (5%) by Campylobacter fetus subspecies fetus, and 1 (1%) by an unidentified species of Campylobacter. Fourteen cases (14%) had inflammatory and/or necrotizing fetoplacental lesions compatible with an infectious etiology. Although the cause for these lesions was not clearly identified, T. gondii was detected in 4 of these cases, opportunistic bacteria (Bacillus licheniformis, Streptococcus sp.) were isolated in 2 cases, and bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 subtype i (BVDV-1i) was detected in another. Campylobacter jejuni was identified in 1 (1%) severely autolyzed, mummified fetus. BVDV-2b was identified incidentally in one fetus with an etiologic diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. Microscopic agglutination test revealed antibodies against ≥1 Leptospira serovars in 15/63 (23.8%) fetuses; however, Leptospira was not identified by a combination of qPCR, culture, fluorescent antibody testing nor immunohistochemistry. Neospora caninum, Chlamydia abortus, Chlamydia pecorum, Coxiella burnetii and border disease virus were not detected in any of the analyzed cases. Death was attributed to dystocia in 13 (13%) fetuses delivered by 8 sheep, mostly from one highly prolific flock. Congenital malformations including inferior prognathism, a focal hepatic cyst, and enterohepatic agenesis were identified in one fetus each, the latter being the only one considered incompatible with postnatal life. Toxoplasmosis, campylobacteriosis and dystocia were the main identified causes of fetal losses. Despite the relatively low overall success rate in establishing an etiologic diagnosis, a systematic laboratory workup in cases of abortion is of value to identify their causes and enables zoonotic pathogens surveillance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diagnostic Investigation of 100 Cases of Abortion in Sheep in Uruguay: 2015–2021

et al. 2022

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“…Sheep and goats have many microorganisms causing abortions (Dorsch et al, 2021). For abortions or stillbirths of lambs or yeanlings over 5% in herds, bacterial factors should be considered and discussed before viruses.…”

Section: Viral Tests [Akabane (Ab) Bvdv (Ab) and Bvdv (Ag)]mentioning

confidence: 99%

Searching Akabane and Pestivirus Infections in Native Breed Sheep with Abortion History

Hasırcıoğlu

Kale

Orta

2022

ASD

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Background: Infectious abortions happen mostly by bacteria and viruses. First of all, it is necessary to determine the causative agents in order to prevent abortions. There are different views on the relationship and sensitivity between breed and diseases. Native breed sheep with abortion history, which were caused by microorganisms, were investigated in the paper. Methods: Three hundred and eighty-four blood samples were collected from four different native breed sheep with abortion history. The samples were investigated in terms of some important bacterial, parasitary and viral agents by serological and virological tests. Result: Akabane (AKAV) antibody (Ab) 3.90% seropositivity and pestivirus antigen (Ag) 0.26% positivity was found in aborted sheep. Not only was the highest seropositivity detected in age group of five in terms of AKAV infection but also the highest seropositivity was found in age group of five in terms of pestivirus (Ab) according to age while pestivirus (Ag) presence was detected in only one animal in age group of four. The highest seropositivity in terms of AKAV infection according to races was found in Kivircik sheep as 4.65% while as 56.40% in terms of pestivirus (Ab) and as 0.58% in terms of pestivirus (Ag) in Anatolian Merinos sheep. In terms of both infections, an increase of infections was seen in elder sheep, the highest AKAV seropositivity was found in Kivircik sheep and the highest pestivirus seropositivity was detected in Anatolian Merinos sheep.

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“…Because many bovine pathogens can be transmitted transplacentally from the dam to the fetus without necessarily resulting in abortion, detecting an infectious agent in the fetus does not warrant abortion causality. However, pathogen detection coupled with identification of pathogens within lesions observed on histopathologic examination of the aborted fetus and/or placenta is a powerful indicator of causality [25]. Given the large spectrum of possible abortigenic pathogens and the relatively few veterinary diagnostic laboratories that conduct pathologic examinations with broad pathogen detection in aborted ruminants, especially in low- and middle-income countries, it is generally accepted that known causes of abortion are underreported and that many abortifacients remain to be discovered.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bovine polyomavirus-1 (Epsilonpolyomavirus bovis): An emerging fetal pathogen of cattle that causes renal lesions resembling polyomavirus-associated nephropathy of humans

Giannitti

Silveira

Bullock

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Bovine polyomavirus-1 (BoPyV-1, Epsilonpolyomavirus bovis) is widespread in cattle and has been detected in commercialized beef at supermarkets in the USA and Germany. BoPyV-1 has been questioned as a probable zoonotic agent with documented increase in seropositivity in people exposed to cattle. However, to date, BoPyV-1 has not been causally associated with pathology or disease in any animal species, including humans. Here we describe and illustrate pathological findings in an aborted bovine fetus naturally infected with BoPyV-1, providing evidence of its pathogenicity and probable abortigenic potential. Our results indicate that: (i) BoPyV-1 can cause severe kidney lesions in cattle, including tubulointerstitial nephritis with cytopathic changes and necrosis in tubular epithelial cells, tubular and interstitial inflammation, and interstitial fibroplasia; (ii) lesions are at least partly attributable to active viral replication in renal tubular epithelial cells, which have abundant intranuclear viral inclusions; (iii) BoPyV-1 large T (LT) antigen, resulting from early viral gene expression, can be detected in infected renal tubular epithelial cells using a monoclonal antibody raised against Simian Virus-40 polyomavirus LT antigen; and (iv) there is productive BoPyV-1 replication and virion assembly in the nuclei of renal tubular epithelial cells as demonstrated by the ultrastructural observation of abundant arrays of viral particles with typical polyomavirus morphology. Altogether, these lesions resemble the “cytopathic-inflammatory pathology pattern” proposed in the pathogenesis of Human polyomavirus-1-associated nephropathy in immunocompromised people and kidney allograft recipients. Additionally, we sequenced the complete genome of the BoPyV-1 infecting the fetus, which represents the first whole genome of a BoPyV-1 from the Southern Hemisphere. Lastly, the BoPyV-1 strain infecting this fetus was isolated, causing cytopathic effect in Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells. We conclude that BoPyV-1 is pathogenic to the bovine fetus under natural circumstances. Further insights into the epidemiology, biology, clinical relevance, and zoonotic potential of BoPyV-1 are needed.Author SummaryWhile bovine polyomavirus-1 seems to have a broad geographic distribution, whether this virus is responsible for disease and organ damage (lesions) in the cattle it infects is unknown. In this study, we describe and illustrate organ damage in an aborted bovine fetus naturally infected with bovine polyomavirus-1. Our results indicate that this virus is pathogenic, this means it can cause lesions and disease under natural circumstances in cattle. Interestingly, the organ damage in the fetus attributable to this viral infection closely resembles the lesions caused by related viruses within the same viral family (Polyomaviridae) in immunocompromised human patients and kidney transplant recipients. This study sets the bases to frame further research to learn more about whether bovine polyomavirus-1 causes abortion in cattle, and to a broader extent how polyomaviruses cause disease in animals and humans.

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Bacterial, protozoal and viral abortions in sheep and goats in South America: A review

Cited by 12 publications

References 103 publications

Diagnostic Investigation of 100 Cases of Abortion in Sheep in Uruguay: 2015–2021

Diagnostic Investigation of 100 Cases of Abortion in Sheep in Uruguay: 2015–2021

Searching Akabane and Pestivirus Infections in Native Breed Sheep with Abortion History

Bovine polyomavirus-1 (Epsilonpolyomavirus bovis): An emerging fetal pathogen of cattle that causes renal lesions resembling polyomavirus-associated nephropathy of humans

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