Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, Vol 16, Issue 4, 333-336
Copyright © 2004 by American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians
Equine abortion and premature birth associated with Cellulosimicrobium cellulans infection
DC Bolin,
JM Donahue,
ML Vickers,
RC Giles,
L Harrison,
C Jackson,
KB Poonacha,
JE Roberts,
MM Sebastian,
SE Sells,
R Tramontin,
and
NM Williams
Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40511-4125, USA.
During the 2002 and 2003 foaling seasons, Cellulosimicrobium (Cellumonas) cellulans (formerly Oerskovia xanthineolytica) was the principal microorganism isolated from fetal tissues or placentas from cases of equine abortion, premature birth, and term pregnancies. Significant pathologic findings included chronic placentitis and pyogranulomatous pneumonia. In addition, microscopic and macroscopic alterations in the allantochorion from 4 of 7 cases of placentitis were similar to those caused by Crossiella equi and other nocardioform bacteria. This report confirms a causative role of C. cellulans infection in equine abortion.
