Getting a Diagnosis in an Abortion Storm

Abstract

Determining the cause of abortions presents many problems. This is reflected in the fact that the diagnostic success of laboratories in bovine abortion is only 30-40% (1,2). The reasons for this relatively low diagnostic success are numerous. Abortion results from an event that frequently occurred weeks or months earlier. The cause, therefore, may be undetectable in the fetus at the time of abortion. The fetus is often retained in the uterus hours to days after death, and autolysis obscures lesions that are present. The placenta is often affected first and most consistently but is frequently unavailable for examination (1).

The lack of relevant history, clinical signs and frequent negative necropsy findings force the diagnostician to look for every infectious agent that might be involved. Therefore, the laboratory tests for all the etiological agents frequently associated with abortion. The techniques used will vary somewhat between laboratories but will include what can be tested for within a reasonable amount of time and some degree of accuracy.