Abortion

A.  History

  • Provide information on herd/flock size, numbers of pregnant animals, number of abortions/stillbirths/weak neonates, and clinical signs, parity and stage of gestation, and vaccination status of the dam.

B.  Selecting and submitting samples:

  • Submission of placenta as well as the entire fetus(s) improves the likelihood of obtaining an etiologic diagnosis.
  • If submitting samples from in-clinic postmortem examination, request specific tests, and submit separate tissue samples in INDIVIDUAL labelled Whir-Pak bags for each lab section and test requested.
  • Mummified fetuses are usually not suitable for testing, except for porcine parvovirus and Toxoplasma.
  • If multiple fetusus/placentas, please indicate if from separate dams and submit accordingly.

C.  Samples required:

Swine abortion

Note: Submission of weak, live neonates and maternal serum samples is more useful than submission of dead aborted or stillborn littermates (particularly for detection of PRRSV).  If possible, submit several fetuses, as agent and/or lesions may not be present in all fetuses.

Histology: Formalin-fixed placenta; fetal tissues including eyelid, skeletal muscle, thyroid gland, thymus, lung, heart, liver, kidney, adrenal gland, spleen, jejunum, colon (with meconium), brain.

• Immunohistochemistry is available on formalin-fixed tissues for PRRSV, PCV-1,2,3 Leptospira.

Bacteriology: Placenta, lung, stomach content (1-2 mL).

Virology: PCR (PRRSV, PCV-1,2,3 PPV): Fetal thoracic fluid, lung for PRRSV, PCV-1,2,3; frozen lung for PPV (from mummified fetuses < 16 cm).

Serum from aborting sows for PRRSV ELISA and PCR, PCV-1,2,3 PCR.

Serology: Serum from sow for PPV paired sera (send-out test), Leptospira (paired not essential); fetal thoracic fluid for Leptospira MATSerum from 3-5 aborting/affected sows and an equal number of unaffected cohorts is useful for diagnosing Leptospira-associated abortions.

Bovine abortion:

Histology: Formalin-fixed placenta with cotyledon; fetal tissues including eyelid, skeletal muscle, thyroid gland, thymus, lung, heart, liver, kidney, adrenal gland, spleen, jejunum, spiral colon (with meconium), brain.

• Immunohistochemistry is available on formalin-fixed tissues for BVDV, BoHV-1(IBRV), Leptospira.

Bacteriology: Placenta, lung, abomasal fluid (1-2 mL).

Mycoplasmology: Placenta, lung, abomasal fluid for Ureaplasma culture, and/or Ureaplasma PCR.

Virology: Bovine abortion panel - PCR (BoHV-1/IBRV, Leptospira, Neospora caninum) and Bovine viral diarrhea virus/ Bovine adenovirus/ Bovine coronavirus – PCR, placenta, kidney, liver, spleen (pooled).  Fetal thoracic fluid also suitable for BVDV PCR.

Serology: Paired serum from dam for BVDV, IBRV, Leptospira; acute serum from dam for Neospora.

Fetal thoracic fluid for Leptospira MAT.

Sheep/goat abortion

Histology: Formalin-fixed placenta with cotyledon; fetal tissues including eyelid, skeletal muscle, thyroid gland, thymus, lung, heart, liver, kidney, adrenal gland, spleen, jejunum, spiral colon (with meconium), brain.

• Immunohistochemistry is available on formalin-fixed tissues for Toxoplasma and BVDV/BDV.

Bacteriology: Placenta, lung, abomasal fluid (1-2 mL).

Molecular Biology: PCR (Chlamydia, Coxiella Toxoplasma): placenta.

Serology: Serum from dam for Toxoplasma; fetal thoracic fluid for BDV, CVV.

Equine abortion

Histology: Formalin-fixed placenta including samples of cervical star; fetal tissues including eyelid, skeletal muscle, thyroid gland, thymus, lung, heart, liver, kidney, adrenal gland, spleen, jejunum, colon (with meconium), brain. 

• Immunohistochemistry is available on formalin-fixed tissues for EHV-1, Leptospira.

Bacteriology: Placenta, lung, stomach content (1-2 mL).

Molecular Biology:  PCR (Potomac horse fever/Neorickettsia):  lung, liver, spleen, placenta.

Virology: PCR for EHV-1: fetal thoracic fluid or lung, liver, spleen, kidney, placenta.

PCR for equine arteritis virus: liver, spleen, placenta.

Serology: EAV-VN. Serology is not diagnostic for equine herpesvirus abortion