Chlamydophila abortus

• Ovine enzootic abortion
• Especially in intensive systems
• Ewe lambs may acquire infection at birth and abort in their first pregnancy
• Pathogenesis:
  • Infection via ingestion or inhalation causes a bacteraemia
  • Bacteria localise in placenta and cause placentitis, leading to late abortion or premature weak lambs
  • Necrosis of cotyledons and oedema of adjacent tissue, as well as dirty pink uterine discharge
  • Aborted lambs well preserved
  • Large numbers of chlamydiae shed in placenta and uterine discharges; survive in environment for several days
  • Abortion rates may reach 30% in susceptible flock
  • Ewes infected late in pregnancy may not abort, but may abort during the next pregnancy
  • No other clinical signs in aborting ewes
  • Fertility not impaired
• Transmission:
  • Survival of elementary bodies in faeces and wild birds are a source of infection from one lambing season to the next
  • Ewes may be carriers for several years
  • Venereal transmission from infected rams
  • Some immunity develops after infection, protecting ewes from subsequent disease
• Vaccination:
  • Live attenuated vaccines prior to breeding or inactivated vaccines during pregnancy
  • Vaccines prevent infection but will not clear infection from persistently-infected animals
  • Vaccination of ewe lambs prior to breeding
• Treatment: long-acting oxytetracyclines during an outbreak to protect in-contact pregnant ewes
• Control: isolate aborted ewes; destroy placentas, thorough cleaning
• Also abortion in cattle, goats and pigs
• Serious infection in pregnant women