Infective agents of the reproductive tract

brucella sp

brucella abortus: cattle- abortion females, joint and reproductive problems in bulls 

brucella melitensis: sheep and goats- abortion, zoonotic

brucella suis: swine- abortio

leptospira sp

causes leptospirosis in various animal specie

coxiella burneti

(q-fever) abortion

zoonotic→ excreted in milk, urine, and feces of infected animals 

bioterrorism agent 

contains spore like forms that are resistant to heat, drying or common disinfectants 

corynebacterium app

c. pilosum and c. cystitidis: preputial ulceration in sheep

inflammation and ulceration of the preputial skin, spreads from the orifice to the mucosa, secondary bacterial infection

causes: normal inhabit the prepuce, high protein diet, high urea excretion leads to increased ammonia, cause preputial ulcerative dermatitis→ posthitis

chlamydia spp

infertility and abortion in several animal species

chlamydia spp: abortion in cattle

campylobacter spp

camylobacter fetus subspecies fetus: abortions in sheep

c. fetus subspecies venerealis: infertility in cattle 

escherichia coli

metritis and other reproductive tract infections

streptococcus spp

infections in various animals particularly in horses

streptococcus zooepidemicus: horses, cause embryonic mortality, and abortion

mycoplasma spp

cattle and swine

mycoplasma bovis: infertility, endometritis, vulvitis, in cows and bulls

listeria

L. monocytogenes: more pathogenic, zoonotic

L. ivanovii: less pathogenic, abortion in sheep

non-contegious dz, food borne infections, primarily a dz of cattle and sheep, abortion, speticemia

(rotten silage ingestion most commone source in dairy cattle)

toxoplasma gondii 

host: definitive host= cats!

transmission: ingested sporulated oocysts in contaminated food or water, congential transfer of tachyzoites from mother to fetus, consumption of bradysoite cysts in infected tissue 

**important cause of abortion/ stillbirth in sheep 

treatment and control: dogs= clindaycin and pyrimethamine, sheep= vaccine and prevent abortions and congenital infections 

cats= no raw meat, change litter, wash fruits/veggies, wear gloves in garden 

neospora caninum

host: definitive host= dog

transmission: dog= ingestion of infected cattle(placenta and aborted fetuses) cattle= horizontal and vertical transmission

signs: Major cause of abortion in intensively farmed cows worldwide→ abortion storms, weak or aborted births with neurological dysfunction

treatment: none

control: test, biosecurity, prevent transmission, eliminate contact of cows withs dogs/ their feces, proper dissposal of dead cattle, placentas, and aborted fetuses

Tritrichomonas foetus

host- bovines

transmission- venereal in bulls (located in epithelia folds of prepuce and penis), in cows (located in the cervix and uterus)

transmission/control: no tx, biosecurity (cull infected bulls, sexula rest for infected cows, vaccine reduces shedding and increase preg rates, artifical insemination (ensure semen is not contaminated)