title: Campylobacter-induced fetal death in a rhesus monkey.
abstract: A pregnant 4-year-old rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) was presented with a history of acute vaginal bleeding. Physical examination revealed an open cervix. An ultrasound scan demonstrated a viable early third-trimester fetus, approximately 16 weeks of gestational age. Hematology results showed that the monkey was anemic, with a normal leukogram and Döhle bodies. A subsequent cervical culture was positive for Campylobacter fetus. The fetus died 3 days later, and a necropsy of the fetus and placenta was performed. Microscopic examination of the placenta revealed villitis, perivillitis, and deciduitis with S-shaped and gull wing-shaped bacteria. C. fetus was considered the cause of the placental lesions and fetal death; however, the pathogenesis of the infection (hematogenous vs. ascending from the maternal genital tract) was not clear. This is the first report of a Campylobacter-induced fetal death in the rhesus monkey. Because macaques can be asymptomatic carriers and Campylobacter-induced diarrhea is common, this finding has implications for breeding success in nonhuman primate breeding colonies.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Bastrop 78602, USA. wbaze@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Baze
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Bernacky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002168:Campylobacter fetus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005333:Fetus / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010920:Placenta / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*