Reproductive Infectious Diseases

Question 1

describe chlamydia

Answer 1

type: obligate intracellular; considered gram negative but gram stain poorly

transmission route:
-aerosolization
-ingestion
-direct contact
-secretions (even when dried), feces
-can persist in soil and feces for long periods (as EB)

age/characteristics of animals affected
-affects many species: humans, food producing animals, companion animals (cats esp), mammalian wildlife, avian, reptile, amphibia, aquatics
-ZOONOTIC POTENTIAL
-in people: flu like symptoms, plus if get C. psittaci = splenic enlargement or if C. abortus can cause abortions in human women

clinical signs: (own card)

disease control/prevention measures:
take precautions, spread to people via contact with shedding caged pet birds, use PPE

diagnostics available and samples of choice:
-bovine abortion/repro PCR panel
-caprine abortion panel

Question 2

describe the life cycle of chlamydia

Answer 2

elementary body (EB) and reticulate body (RB) stages

EB: infectious form; enters host cell via receptor-mediated endocytosis
-fusion of phagolysosome is prevented
-differentiates into RB in endosome
-RB transforms back into EB after 2-3 days and are released by cell lysis

Question 3

describe asymptomatic status of chlamydia

Answer 3

-asymptomatic carriers are common
-unable to live independently
-live on mucosal/serosal surfaces of rep, repro tracts, joints

Question 4

describe reproductive clinical signs of chlamydia

Answer 4

females:
-endometritis, metritis, abortion, stillbirth

males: orchitis, epididymitis, urethritis

due to inflammation, can lead to infertility or poor repro performance

C. abortus is most common cause of abortion in small ruminants!

Question 5

describe campylobacter

Answer 5

type: curved bacteria (C or S shaped); gram negative microaerophilic (need special lab conditions), polar flagellae (wet/spreading colonies on culture)

3 main species:
-C. fetus venerealis: ONLY in repro tract
-C. fetus fetus: in GI, sometimes repro tract
-C. jejuni: in GI, sometimes in repro tract

transmission route: breeding?

age/characteristics of animals affected:
-young naive cows

clinical signs: (own card)

disease control/prevention measures:
-if diagnose in herd, vaccinate!
-AI may reduce but may also spread

diagnostics available and samples of choice:
-challenging bc low numbers and difficult to culture
-culture fetal stomach contents if abortion
-vaginal mucous agglutination test (test at least 10% of herd); not catch ALL animals (reasonable number of false negatives)

Question 6

describe C. fetus venerealis clinical signs

Answer 6

bulls: inapparent infections of penis and prepuce (not obvious signs, just transmitters)

cows:
-clinical signs in naive cows (immunity is protective via local IgA once develops)
-can have prolonged shedding as develop immunity
-can have co-infection with trichomonas foetus

-mucopurulent endometriosis: infertility, early embryonic death, abortion

Question 7

describe taylorella equigenitalis

Answer 7

type: gram negative rod or cocci;
cause of contagious equine metritis

transmission route:
-carried in external genitalia (urethra, urethral fossa, penile sheath of stallions and clitoral fossa of mares

age/characteristics of animals affected: see other lectures

clinical signs: see other lectures

disease controls/prevention measures
-REPORTABLE
-largely eradicated in US through testing and quarantine

diagnostics available and samples
-culture and serology by federally approved laboratories (will not accept if your swab is expired!!)

Question 8

describe leptospirosis

Answer 8

causes abortion in multiple species!

leptospirosa interrogans main but other strains if live with skunks, raccoons, cattle

Question 9

describe equine arteritis virus

Answer 9

type: arteriviridae, gets horses and camelids

transmission route:
-venereal
-frozen semen
-horizontal and lateral spread
-common in standardbreds and saddlebreds, propogated by carrier stallions

clinical signs:
-acute upper respiratory infection (mild)
-fever (>105)
-conjunctivitis
-nasal discharge
-leukopenia
-dependent edema
-ABORTIONS
-urticaria (itchy raised welts)

diagnosis:
-virus isolation or RT-PCR on blood/tissues

treatment: most recover on their own!
-antibiotics to prevent secondary infections

prevention:
-attenuated and inactivated vaccines
-vaccinate colts 6-8 months of age
-vaccinate mares prior to breeding
-if vaccinate, can no longer rely on serology at all for diagnosis

Question 10

describe EHV-3

Answer 10

type: alpha herpes virus

lives in repro tract:
-superficial external genitalia of stallions and mares

transmission: skin to skin contact

tx: none