Diagnosis of placental pathogens in small ruminants by immunohistochemistry and PCR on paraffin-embedded samples

Vet Rec. 2009 Aug 8;165(6):175-8. doi: 10.1136/vr.165.6.175.

Abstract

A histological study was carried out on 58 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples of placenta from sheep and goats that had aborted, and the placental lesions were graded. Sequential histological sections of each cotyledon were then immunostained with specific antibodies and used for PCR detection of Chlamydophila abortus, Coxiella burnetii, Salmonella Abortusovis, Brucella melitensis, Listeria monocytogenes and Toxoplasma gondii. Most of the cotyledons showed different degrees of placentitis. The proportional agreement between the two techniques was 0.879 (kappa value 0.746). C abortus was the most prevalent pathogen. Mixed infections were common.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Veterinary / diagnosis*
  • Abortion, Veterinary / microbiology
  • Abortion, Veterinary / parasitology
  • Animals
  • Bacterial Infections / diagnosis
  • Bacterial Infections / veterinary
  • Female
  • Goat Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Goat Diseases / microbiology
  • Goat Diseases / parasitology
  • Goats
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / isolation & purification
  • Immunohistochemistry / standards
  • Immunohistochemistry / veterinary*
  • Listeria monocytogenes / isolation & purification
  • Placenta* / microbiology
  • Placenta* / parasitology
  • Placenta* / pathology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / standards
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary*
  • Pregnancy
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Sheep
  • Sheep Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Sheep Diseases / microbiology
  • Sheep Diseases / parasitology
  • Spain
  • Toxoplasma / isolation & purification
  • Toxoplasmosis, Animal / diagnosis