Zoonotic Abortifacient Agents in Bovine Abortion: Diagnostic Assessment of 125 Cases (2015-2017).

BACKGROUND

The threat of zoonotic diseases is significant to global public health. Campylobacter spp., Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii), Brucella spp., Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), Chlamydia abortus (C. abortus), and Cache Valley virus (CVV) play a role in bovine abortion and are transmitted from animals to humans.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the presence of these zoonotic abortifacient agents in bovine foetuses (n = 125), each from different herds, in a three-year period in Türkiye.

METHODS

The detection and differentiation of Brucella spp. was achieved using a PCR method, while a multiplex PCR assay was used to detect and differentiate Campylobacter spp. Real-time PCR assays were used to detect C. burnetii, C. abortus, and L. monocytogenes. Furthermore, samples were tested for CVV using one-step duplex real-time RT-PCR.

RESULTS

Although L. monocytogenes and C. abortus and CVV were not detected, Brucella spp., Campylobacter spp., and C. burnetii were detected in 19 (15.2%), 4 (3.2%), and 2 (1.6%) of the bovine foetuses, respectively. Brucella and Campylobacter species were identified by molecular testing as B. melitensis (n = 4) and B. abortus (n = 15) and C. jejuni (n = 2) and C. foetus subsp. foetus (n = 2), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study suggest that Brucella spp., Campylobacter spp., and C. burnetii could pose a threat to both cattle and human health in the studied regions. Further studies are required to determine the exact role of these agents in cattle reproductive losses in Türkiye, as well as the economic impact of these agents on livestock.