IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MYCOPLASMA-CAPRICOLUM SUBSP CAPRICOLUM IN CAPRINE ABORTION - A CASE-REPORT

Described in this study are the immunohistochemical and ultrastructura l findings in a case of caprine abortion due to the experimental infec tion of the dam with strain GM13 of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp, capri colum. Mycoplasma antigens were seen mainly in choriallantoic trophobl asts and in the lumen of blood vessels in the allantoic membrane. Exam ination with an electron microscope showed that the chorioallantoic tr ophoblasts were filled with typical mycoplasma organisms. No other bac teria were observed in any of the samples. Our results confirm by immu nohistochemical and electron microscopic techniques that Mycoplasma ca pricolum subsp. capricolum can cause caprine abortion and that the pro cess can occur without premonitory signs.