Ovine abortion in New Zealand

Authors: West DM
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 50, Issue 3 Supplement, pp 93-95, Jun 2002
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Abortion/stillbirth, Bacterial, Zoonosis, Infectious disease, Reproduction, Alimentary system/gastroenterology, Notifiable organisms/exotic disease, Protozoa, Reproduction - female, Disease/defect, Public health
Article class: Review Article

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Abstract: Although many microorganisms can cause sporadic intrauterine infections in ewes, only a few are responsible for the classical outbreaks of abortion that result in significant financial loss. New Zealand is free from major causes of infectious abortion such as Chlamydophila abortus (enzootic abortion), Coxiella burnetii, Salmonella enterica serovar Abortus-ovis, Brucella melitensis, and the viruses of Bluetongue, Wesselsbron disease and Akabane disease that are important causes of ovine abortion overseas. The main causes of abortion in sheep in New Zealand are campylobacteriosis, toxoplasmosis and more recently, S. enterica serovar Brandenburg. Less common causes of infectious abortions are Border disease (Manktelow et al 1969; Porter et al 1972ab), listeriosis (Hartley and Kater 1964; Gill 1999a), Fusobacterium spp (Smart and Gill 1999), Bacillus spp (Gill 1999b), mycotic infections (Gardner 1967), salmonellosis, yersiniosis and Brucella ovis (Hartley and Boyes 1964). The three most common causes of abortion that together account for over 80% of ovine abortions in New Zealand are reviewed here, namely campylobacteriosis, toxoplasmosis and S. Brandenburg.

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