title: Reproductive failure in mink and ferrets after intravenous or oral inoculation of Campylobacter jejuni.
abstract: Four pregnant mink and seven pregnant ferrets, including five with previous exposure and specific antibody, were injected intravenously with 10(8)-10(10) colony-forming units of Campylobacter jejuni. All 11 pregnancies failed 1-16 days after infection, with results ranging from fetal resorption to expulsion of dead or premature living kits. In every case, uterine contents (placenta, uterine fluid and/or kits) were culture-positive for C. jejuni. Three pregnant mink and nine pregnant ferrets, including four with previous exposure and antibody, were fed 10(9)-10(11) C. jejuni. Two of the mink aborted; kits of all three were culture-positive, but those of one female survived. Seven of the nine ferrets aborted, with two having culture-positive uterine contents. None of 28 uninfected ferret control pregnancies ended in abortion. The most prominent histological feature observed was severe placentitis, which appears to be a more likely cause of Campylobacter-induced abortion than direct pathogenic effects on infected kits. These results suggest that infection of mink or ferrets with C. jejuni during pregnancy poses a serious risk of reproductive failure, even for previously exposed females.
authors: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Bell
authors: D D
authors: DD
authors: Manning
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005327:Fetal Resorption / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D008907:Mink; D010920:Placenta / Q000382:microbiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial