RESULTS OF MICROBIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF ABORTIONS IN HORSES, CATTLE, PIGS AND SHEEP IN GERMANY

The results of microbiological investigations of abortions in horses, cattle, pig and sheep in North-west and Middle Thuringia (the former d istrict of Erfurt, Germany) from 1983 to 1992 are described. These inv olved 12 602 cases in cattle, 1113 in pigs, 201 in sheep and 112 in ho rses. Bacteriological, virological and mycological methods were used. The following were the commonest organisms detected in bovine abortion material: Actinomyces pyogenes (980); E. coli (501); Streptococcus sp p (215); Listeria monocytogenes (178), and Staphylococcus spp (122). I n addition, Chlamydia psittaci was isolated from 7% of cases, bur Coxi ella burnetii was detected in less than 1% of bovine abortions. Virolo gical examinations, conducted after 1990, indicated that 10 to 20% of abortions were caused by BVD/MD virus. Depending on the year, 16.6 to 88.2% of bovine abortions were associated with chlamydia with other sp ecific abortion agents being isolated infrequently. In equine abortion s, chlamydia predominated and represented 18.7% of all micro-organisms isolated. EHV was detected in 10.7% of all equine abortions and other predominant agents included Streptococcus spp of Lancefield Group C. In abortion material from pigs, E. coli predominated (49.9%) followed by Streptococcus spp (20%) and Staphylococcus spp (19.3%). Cell cultur e techniques revealed chlamydia in 30 to 50% of porcine abortions.