Bovine fetal infection with Mycobacterium paratuberculosis.
In utero transmission of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, the causative agent of paratuberculosis in cattle, has been suggested. Tissue specimens were obtained at a packing plant from pregnant dairy cows and their fetuses and from cows with clinical signs of paratuberculosis and from their fetuses. Specimens were processed according to methods described for isolating M paratuberculosis from bovine tissues and were incubated on Herrold egg yolk medium for 16 weeks. Presumed positive specimens were confirmed to be M paratuberculosis, using acid-fast staining and subculturing. Of 407 lymph nodes from cows, 34 (8.4%) were culture positive for M paratuberculosis; 9 of 34 (26.4%) of these culture-positive cows had fetuses from which specimens were also culture positive. The results estimated the risk of fetal infection with M paratuberculosis to be 26.4% (95% confidence interval between 11.3 and 40.7%).
Seitz
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SE
Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1092.
Heider
L E
LE
Heuston
W D
WD
Bech-Nielsen
S
S
Rings
D M
DM
Spangler
L
L
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005333:Fetus / Q000382:microbiology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010283:Paratuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D011247:Pregnancy