Bovine Infectious Infertility and Abortion

Question 1

Define early embryonic death

Answer 1

fetal death less than 8 weeks

Question 2

define stillbirth

Answer 2

fetal death greater than 260 days

Question 3

What type of organism of Listeria monocytogenes?

Answer 3

gram positive coccobacillus

Question 4

Where is Listeria monocytogenes found?

Answer 4

concentrated in rotting hay and improperly stored silage

Question 5

Describe the pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes infection

Answer 5

• ingestion
  > replication in monocyte-macrophage
  > placentitis and fetal septicemia
  > abortion

Question 6

What are the clinical signs associated with Listeria monocytogenes infection?

Answer 6

• abortion in last trimester

- cows appear sick before, during, and after abortion

Question 7

How is Listeria monocytogenes diagnosed?

Answer 7

• isolation of organism in fetal tissues and placenta

Question 8

What are the gross lesions caused by Listeria monocytogenes?

Answer 8

fetus

• autolysed
• foci of necrosis in liver

placenta
- pinpoint yellow, necrotic foci on tips of cotyledonary villi

Question 9

What type of organism is leptospira?

Answer 9

aerobic spirochete

Question 10

Describe the pathogenesis of leptospirosis

Answer 10

• incubation 4-10 days
  > bacteriemia
  > localizes and persists in renal tubules
  > shedding

Question 11

What are the clinical signs associated with leptospirosis?

Answer 11

• often none
• hemolytic anemia
• hepatic/renal disease
• abortion
• photosensitization

Question 12

How is leptospirosis transmitted?

Answer 12

urine, placental fluids, milk, semen

Question 13

How is leptospirosis diagnosed?

Answer 13

• dark field microscopy
• fluorescent antibody of fetal kidney and maternal urine
• PCR of fetal and maternal tissue

Question 14

How is leptospirosis treated?

Answer 14

• limit exposure
• vaccinate
• can vaccinate in outbreak and give tetracycline

Question 15

What type of organism is Brucella abortus?

Answer 15

gram negative coccobacillus

Question 16

Describe the pathogenesis of Brucella abortus

Answer 16

• transmitted via mucus membranes
  > lymph nodes > bacteremia > uterus
  > multiplication in chorioallantoic trophoblasts
  > fetal bactermia and chorioallantoic necrosis
  > abortion

Question 17

How is Brucella abortus transmitted?

Answer 17

• primary transmission via mucus membranes
• bulls can be carriers
• can be transmitted by intrauterine deposition of frozen semen from carrier bulls

Question 18

What are the clinical signs associated with Brucella abortus?

Answer 18

• abortion: after 5th month of gestation
• RFM and metritis follow abortion
• some give birth to weak calves that die soon after

Question 19

How is Brucella abortus diagnosed?

Answer 19

isolation of organism
- fetal tissues, uterine tissue, placenta

placentitis

• intercotyledonary areas dry, thickened, and cracked
• “Moroccan leather”

Question 20

Describe the control of Brucella abortus infection

Answer 20

• reportable (zoonotic)
• routine serologic testing
• no treatment for positives
• vaccination of heifers

Question 21

What two organisms are found in the normal female reproductive tract?

Answer 21

Mycoplasma

Ureaplasma

Question 22

What is caused by Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma infection?

Answer 22

• granular vulvovaginitis
• salpingitis
• sporadic abortion

Question 23

What is caused by Haemophilus somnus?

Answer 23

weak calves and stillbirths more often than abortions

Question 24

What type of organism is Campylobacter foetus veneralis?

Answer 24

gram negative microaerophilic rod

Question 25

How is Campylobacter foetus veneralis transmitted?

Answer 25

- transmitted via coitus | - also via fomites

Question 26

Describe the pathogenesis of Campylobacter foetus veneralis infection

Answer 26

``` - coitus > colonizes in vagina and cervix > uterus and oviducts > infection > EED ```

Question 27

What are the clinical signs associated with Campylobacter foetus veneralis infection?

Answer 27

- delayed return to estrus - vaginitis, cervicitis, and endometritis rare - less than 10% abort - no signs in bulls

Question 28

How is Campylobacter foetus veneralis infection diagnosed?

Answer 28

Clarks media - preputial scraping - vaginal mucus - fetal abomasal contents, placenta

Question 29

How is Campylobacter foetus veneralis controlled?

Answer 29

- cull bulls or don't breed - cows usually clear in 3-6 months - vaccinate before breeding season - use AI

Question 30

What kind of organism is Tritrichomonas foetus? | What does it look like?

Answer 30

- flagellated protozoa - 3 anterior and 1 posterior flagella - pyriform shape

Question 31

How is Tritrichomonas foetus transmitted?

Answer 31

- via coitus | - bulls are primary reservoirs

Question 32

Describe the pathogenesis of Tritrichomonas foetus infection

Answer 32

- transmitted to females via coitus > establish infection in vagina and progress to uterus > causes fetal loss

Question 33

How is Tritrichomonas foetus treated and controled?

Answer 33

- test and cull bulls - use AI - sexual rest for cows - quarantine or divide herd - vaccines

Question 34

How is Neospora caninum transmitted?

Answer 34

- ingestion of dog feces | - primarily transmitted vertically

Question 35

What are the clinical signs associated with Neospora caninum?

Answer 35

- no clinical disease in dam - calves are normal, weak, or aborted - abortion in 3rd trimester

Question 36

How is Neospora caninum diagnosed?

Answer 36

- IHC on fetal tissues and placenta | - serologic testing

Question 37

What is the causative agent of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis?

Answer 37

Bovine Herpesvirus 1

Question 38

What is the most frequently diagnosed cause of viral abortion in North America?

Answer 38

IBR - bovine herpesvirus 1

Question 39

How is bovine herpesvirus transmitted?

Answer 39

- airborne possible - venereal form: coitus, instruments, semen - systemic: mucus membranes

Question 40

What are the clinical signs associated with the systemic form of bovine herpesvirus?

Answer 40

- abortion storms | - +/- respiratory signs

Question 41

What are the clinical signs associated with the venereal form of bovine herpes virus?

Answer 41

pustules, nodules, ulcers, and erosions on vulva and penis

Question 42

How is bovine herpesvirus diagnosed?

Answer 42

- lesions (autolysed fetus, foci of necrosis on organs) | - IHC and microscopic exam confirms (intranuclear inclusion bodies)

Question 43

How is bovine viral diarrhea virus transmitted?

Answer 43

- vertical (forms PI) - PI are primary source (shedding) - via fomites

Question 44

What causes a persistently infected calf?

Answer 44

fetus infected in utero prior to day 120-150

Question 45

What are the clinical feature of a PI calf with BVDV

Answer 45

- most show no signs - chronic respiratory distress - intermittent diarrhea

Question 46

How is BVDV diagnosed?

Answer 46

- virus isolation (gold standard) - immunohistochemistry - PCR - ELISA

Question 47

What type of virus is bluetongue?

Answer 47

Orbivirus

Question 48

How is Bluetongue transmitted?

Answer 48

Culliocoides species

Question 49

What is caused by Bluetongue?

Answer 49

- abortion - teratogenesis more common (cerebral malformation, weak calves, stillbirths)

Question 50

Describe the pathogenesis of Aspergillus fumigatus infection

Answer 50

- ingestion > hematogenous spread > placentitis > abortion

Question 51

What lesions are associated with Aspergillus fumigatus infection?

Answer 51

placenta - necrosis of cotyledons - thickening of intercotyledonary space fetus - skin has mycotic plaques

Question 52

What is hydrallantois?

Answer 52

abnormal accumulation of allantoic fluid during 5-10 day period of last trimester

Question 53

What is hydamnios?

Answer 53

gradual accumulation of excessive amniotic fluid

Question 54

What is the progesterone source during the first 150 days of gestation?

Answer 54

luteal origin

Question 55

What is the progesterone source during days 150-250 of gestation?

Answer 55

placenta