Journal Article

Isolation of Arcobacter species and other neglected opportunistic agents from aborted bovine and caprine fetuses

Gallina, Silvia, Di Blasio, Alessia, Piva, Silvia, Zoppi, Simona, Decastelli, Lucia, Dondo, Alessandro, Traversa, Amaranta, Giacometti, Federica, Chiesa, Francesco

2019

Overview

Background Infectious abortion in ruminants is a problem in animal husbandry worldwide. It is important to obtain a diagnosis, to make sure that proper control measures can be instituted, but most abortion cases remain without an etiologic diagnosis. This report describes the presence of Arcobacter species and several neglected opportunistic abortifacient agents in ruminant abortion cases showing or not co-infections among at least one of the major recognized protozoal, fungal, bacterial and viral abortifacient agents. Results A total of 67 fetuses (55 cattle and 12 goats) and just one placenta (cattle) were considered. Among the most common abortive agents, Neospora caninum (19,4%), followed by Chlamydophila abortus (4,5%), Listeria monocytogenes 1/2a (2,98%), Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus type 1b (2,98%), Bovine herpesvirus 4 (2,98%), and Aspergillus spp. (2,98%) were detected. The isolated neglected opportunistic bacteria include Escherichia coli , Acinetobacter lwoffii , Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Streptococcus uberis , Streptococcus suis , Trueperella pyogenes, Mannheimia haemolytica , Bacillus cereus and Nocardia spp. Other bacterial species, not associated with abortion by literature, but described as causes of diseases occurring sporadically both in humans and animals, were also detected. Three Arcobacter strains, namely two A. skirrowii and one A. cryaerophilus , were isolated from 3 bovine aborted fetuses, and A. butzleri was isolated from the placenta. Conclusions A not negligible isolation of Arcobacter species and other neglected abortifacient agents has to be mentioned, with prevalences that seem to be emerging and replacing or co-placing the major infectious players in bovine and caprine reproductive failure due to abortion disease, even if further studies investigating the aetiological power and transmission routes are needed in order to define the role of these microrganisms in ruminant abortion.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,BMC
• Subject: Aborted fetuses / abortifacients / Abortion / abortion (animals) / Acinetobacter lwoffii / Animal husbandry / Arcanobacterium pyogenes / Arcobacter butzleri / Arcobacter cryaerophilus / Arcobacter skirrowii / Arcobacter species / Aspergillus / Bacillus cereus / Bacteria / Bacteriology / Beef cattle / Bovinae / Bovine brucellosis / Bovine gammaherpesvirus 4 / Bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 / cattle / Chlamydophila abortus / Co-infections / control methods / Diagnosis / Diarrhea / Disease transmission / Escherichia coli / etiology / fetus / fungi / Genetic aspects / goats / Health aspects / Infection / Listeria / Listeria monocytogenes / Mannheimia haemolytica / Medical research / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / mixed infection / Neospora caninum / Nocardia / Opportunistic emerging pathogens / Pathogenic microorganisms / placenta / Proteobacteria / Research Article / Risk factors / Ruminants / Staphylococcus / Streptococcus suis / Streptococcus uberis / Transgenics / Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science / Virus diseases / Zoology