title: Bovine fetal infection with Mycobacterium paratuberculosis.
abstract: 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%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1092.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Seitz
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Heider
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Heuston
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bech-Nielsen
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Rings
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spangler
mesh_terms: 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