Bovine abortions revisited

Every month, approximately 700 bovine abortions are registered in the national Danish “Kvægdatabasen” but the number is estimated to be significantly higher as abortion-registration is deficient. Our knowledge on the causes of bovine abortion is very limited and prophylactic measures are scarce. Out of more than 100 abortion cases analysed at DTU Vet during 2014, 35% were found to have an infectious cause (bacterial infections and neosporosis). In 44% of submissions, histopathologic lesions in the placenta and/or the foetus were found, that indicate infection however, no infectious agent was detected by routine diagnostic methods. In 22% of the submitted foetuses no specific pathological findings were made.
The aim of this project is to gain in-depth knowledge on the possible bacterial and viral infections of the bovine foetus and placenta by use of state of the art molecular methods for culture-independent identification of bacteria and viruses. Furthermore, placental and foetal infection is to be verified by in situ hybridization of the agents.
On the basis of the project’s results, knowledge will be gained on bacterial and viral infections as causes of bovine abortions in Denmark. For example will the relevance of Chlamydia and Chlamydia-like bacteria be assessed, since those have lately been shown to play a role in swine production. The results of this study will complement knowledge-based counselling and prophylactic measures on herd-level.