Reproductive Pathology:
• Normal breeding
• Normal and Abnormal Discharges – Female:
• Normal and Abnormal Discharges – Male:
• Female Reproductive Tract Pathology:
• Male Reproductive Tract Pathology:
• Pathogens Involved in Reproductive Failure: Horses
• Pathogens Involved in Reproductive Failure: Cattle
• Pathogens Involved in Reproductive Failure: Sheep
• Protozoa of Reproduction:
• SA Reproductive Failure: Non-Infectious Causes:
• LA Reproductive Failure: Non-Infectious Causes:
• Disorders of Sexual Development:
• Advanced Mammary Gland Practical:
• Reproductive Pathology Practical:
• Mammary Gland Pathology Practical:
Female Reproductive Tract Pathology:
Ovaries:
1) Circulatory disturbances = haemorrhage
• Cow = manual unnucleated of CL can cause ↑ haemorrhage 2) Inflammation = oophoritis (rare)
• Direct extension or haematogenous spread from uterus / uterine tubes to localise @ CL
• Fibrin tags, granulation tissue + fibrous adhesions interfere with ovulation (therefore cause cysts) 3) Degenerations:
Follicular cysts → from 2° follicles that fail to ovulate, involute or luteinise (cow, sow > bitch, queen > mare)
• Usually > 2 greater than the maximum D
• May secrete E2 under FSH stimulation = continuous oestrus or CS of nymphomania
• Develop cystic endometrial hyperplasia, hydrometra + mucometra
• Chronic cystic follicles = permanent anoestrus as P4 release prevents GnRH release
• Gross = within or protrude from surface; lined by single or multiple layers of cells
• Aetiology:
o Failure of LH release during oestrus → underlying failure of GnRH excretion on gonadal-hypophyseal axis o Cortisol → stress + milk production causes lack of LH surge
Luteinised cysts (cow, nulliparous bitch – uncommon) = insufficient LH surge to cause ovulation but enough to luteinise the anovulatory follicles or immature follicle at LH surge leading to failure to ovulate
Cystic corpora lutea (cattle – common) = premature closing of ovulation site with a cavity forming in the CL
• Obvious ovulatory papilla unlike luteinised cysts
• No CS since enough P4 for pregnancy
Other = epithelial inclusion cysts, cysts of subsurface epithelial structures, cystic rete ovarii, cysts of mesonephric tubules + ducts, cysts of paramesonephric duct, tuboovarian cysts, ovarian bursal cysts
4) Disorders of growth:
a) Congenital:
Heredity gonadal hypoplasia (Bos tarus) = total, partial or transitional hypoplasia (unilateral – L > R)
• Micro = lack germ cells @ birth, anovular follicles Gonadal dygenesis = defective gonad development:
• Genetic basis → XO gonadal dysgenesis (mares – Turner’s syndrome) = 63XO – X chromosome is absent o Outcome = sterile, no oestrus signs, open cervix, hypoplastic uterus, small ovaries, small vulvas
• No genetic basis → Freemartinism (cattle) = placental anastomoses btw heterogenous twins (fusion 90% of time) o Sharing of blood = bone marrow chimeras
o F receives TDF + anti-Mullerian hormone → regression of paramesonephric ducts
o F = normal except undeveloped vagina / cervix / uterus, prominent clitoris, hair on ventral vulvar commissure, vesicular glands @ cervix, ovotestes commonly
o M = testicular hypoplasia + infertility b) Neoplasia:
Primary = subsurface epithelial structures sex cord stroma, primordial germ cells
• Sex cord stromal tumour = granulosa-theca cell tumours (cow, mare) = large, unilateral, benign – cause hormone imbalances of E2 (nymphomania), T (masculinisation), P4
• Tumours of surface epi (canine) = papillary cystadenoma/carcinoma,
• Germ cell tumours:
o Dysgerminomas = unilateral, metastasise, hyperoestrogenism
o Teratomas = differentiate into tissues with hair / teeth / bones, benign cystic or malignant (ovaries or testis) Secondary = non-gonadal tumours
c) Hyperplasia = associate with hyperplasia of endometrium
Uterine tubes:
1) Inflammation = salpingitis + / - pyosalpinx → ascending infections from uterus 2) Disorders of growth:
a) Congenital (rare) → failed development of paramesonephric ducts, uterine abnormalities (intersex)
• Sterile if bilateral = aplasia, developmental cysts, accessory / duplicate tubes
Pathogens Involved in Reproductive Failure: Horses
Mares:
• Opportunistic @ mating (endo – ascending; exo) > venereal
• Predisposing factors:
o Post-mating inflammation (15%) o Genetics
o Parity (↑ multiparous)
o Perineal confirmation = urine pooling
• Pathogens = Streptococcus zooepidemicus, Taylorella equigenitalis, Staphylococcus ssp. E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Psuedomonas aeruginosa
• Diagnosis = use guard swab to avoid contamination
Taylorella equigenitalis → G – rod, oxidase +, facultative anaerobe
• Obligate of equine genital tract @ mucosa of carriers (fastidious = < 10% CO2 + chocolate agar)
• Venereal transmission = carrier stallion > carrier mare, infected semen or fomites (instruments)
• Only mares get CS (stallions are asymptomatic carries @ penis / distal urethra) = acute suppurative inflammation of uterus / cervix / vagina (more severe than other causes) + milky-suppurative excretion
• Temporary infertility but self-limiting → significance consequences
• Treatment:
o Mare = uterine infusion of Abx but also self-limiting o Stallion = chlorhexidine back
• Control = pre-coitus test / treatment > slaughter
• Exotic to AUS – imported stallions must have 3 pre-export -ve swabs 7-9 dys apart o Mare = clitoral fossa + clitoral sinus + cervix + endometrium
o Stallion = urethral sinus, fossa glandis, prepuce
• When to suspected → imported mare / mare serviced by imported stallion has early return to service ± vaginal discharge o (1) Notify authorities (2) Swab (3) Samples @ lab in 2 dys
Herpesvirus:
• Ssp specific
• Latent in nervous ganglia – avoid immune system + will recrudesce if immunocompromised (pregnancy, transport UV radiation, co-morbities)
• Morbidity > mortality
• ↑ viral load that doesn’t require lysis
• Enveloped but environmentally fragile (< 24 hrs)
Equine Herpesvirus 1 = late gestation, asymptomatic abortion (9-10 mths or can be born alive + die quickly)
• No CS in mare or vaginal discharge or placenta
o Foal = jaundice, petechial MM, fluid accumulation in sub cut / pleura / peritoneum / lungs, splenomegaly (+
lymphadenomegaly + focal necrosis), focal liver necrosis
• EHV1/4 = 6.5% abortion
• Exposure as foal / weanling / mother → local respiratory infect when young → latency → recrudescence or 1st infection as an adult (> leucocyte-associated viraemia) → systemic infection = no CS, abortion / perinatal death, myeloencephalitis
o Source = reactivated latent virus, from another horse, aborted foetus of another mare, fomite
• @ vascular endothelium in nasal mucosa, lungs, CNS, adrenal / thyroid, placenta
• Meningoencephalitis in mutant forms of virus
• Abortion 2-12 wks after mare infection but virus rapidly cleared
• Diagnosis → PM foetus + collect samples (not 100%) – PCR / inclusion bodies on histopath
• Control:
o Vax = 3 / 5 / 7 / 9 mths with killed vax (↓ recrudesce or chance of infection) o Separate pregnant mares = group according to stage
o ↓ stress
o Remove aborted foetuses
Pathogens Involved in Reproductive Failure: Cattle
Cattle:
11/16 heifers (should be free of dz) in calf with 1 live + 35/44 cows but only 28 live / 1 still born (issue to conceive + early loss + abortion)Bacterial Viral: Fungal: Protozoa:
• Brucella abortus
• Leptospira hardjo / Leptospira Pomona
• Listeria monocytogenes
• Campylobacter fetus ssp.
veneralis
• Mycoplasma / Ureaplasma
• Salmonella
• Coxiella burretti
• Sporadic infection – E. coli, Trueperella pyogenes
• Chlamydia abortus
• BVDV
• Abortigenic IBR (BHV1)
• Bluetongue
• Akabane
• Aspergillus
• Mortierella
• Mucor
• Absidia
• Rhizopus
• Neospora canium
• Tritrichomonas foetus
• Babesiosis
• Anaplasmosis
Iatrogenic Other Toxicities
• Live vaccines
• Corticosteroids
• Prostaglandins
• Genetic
• Multiple foetuses
• Stress or dz in dam = heat
• Trauma
• Nutrition deficiency = vit A / E, Se, Fe
• Nitrates
• Mycotoxins
• Oestrogenic plants
Estimating foetal age = 2.5 x (crown-rump length (cm) + 21) Laboratory:
• Culture = placenta, foetal lung / liver / kidney / stomach, uterus
• Virology isolation / Ag detection = thymus, lung, liver, spleen, kidney
• Histopathology = placenta, endometrium (caruncle), foetal brain / thymus / lung / heart / liver / spleen / kidney / adrenal / intestine / eyelid / conjunctiva / thyroid / LN / SM
• Serum from dam / foetus = serology (Leptospira, Brucella, IBR, BVD, Neospora)
Campylobacter: G – rod, slender (spiral, comma, curved), microaerophilic (> 3-5% CO2, < 3-15% O2), motile
• C. jejuni = diarrhoea (human, dog, cat) or RT disorders (sheep, goats > cattle)
• C. fetus ssp venerealis = RT disorder (cattle)
• C. fetus ssp fetus = RT disorder (sheep, goats > cattle)
• Source = asymptomatic carriers in GIT of birds / mammals (not normal flora) → venerealis = bull prepuce > cow vagina;
fetus = sheep GIT
• Zoonotic = abortion, gastroenteritis, septicaemia, meningitis
• Transmission
o Ingestion of contaminated food / H2O = stay in GIT for pathology or septicaemia + localisation @ RT (sheep) o Venereal = bull-cow during coitus or AI (must Abx)
• Virulence:
- Capsule S-layer = antiphagocytic + anti-complement - Pili = binds to GIT cells
- Enterotoxin = hypersecretory D+
- Cytotoxin = mucosal epi destruction / inflammation - Endotoxin = anti-complement
- Intracellular survival in macrophages
1) Enteric = Campylobacter jejuni + C. coli →D+ in dogs / calves / lambs 2) Bovine / Ovine genital Campylobacterosis:
C. fetus ss venerealis → abortion / infertility / early embryonic death in cows
C. fetus ss fetus → abortion in sheep (late, abortion storms)
@ bull RT = transiently in young cattle / old carriers - transmission = venereal during breeding / AI - asymptomatic in bulls
- PM = cotyledon necrosis
@ GIT
- transmission = ingestion
- septicaemia through GIT + placentitis - rarely causing abortion in cattle, goats, pigs Diagnosis = scrap / wash bull prepuce for culture / PCR; vaginal
mucus / washings of cows for culture / ELISA; serology of cow
Diagnosis = liver / abomasum of aborted foetus for culture / histopath / IFA; serology of ewe
• Treatment = tetracyclines in outbreak; systemic / topical Abx for bulls
• Control = vax (short-lived immunity so yearly vaccinated) but can clear infection from carrier bulls + use AI with Abx semen
Normal flora of GIT / RT / skin / MM (endogenous infection) → opportunistic + sporadic
• Trueperella pyogenes, E. coli, Histophilus somni
Listeria monocytogenes (L. ivanovii / L. innocua can sporadic cause abortion but not CNS infection in ruminants) [Listeriosis]
• Intracellular survival
• CS = septicaemia, abortion, neural form, mastitis
• Abortion = localised in placenta to cause late abortion
Salmonella → enteritis, septicaemia + localisation in placenta causing abortion + carrier state [Salmonellosis]
Leptospira borgpetersenni serovars hardjo type hardjo-bovis (pyrexia, agalatica, infertility, flabby mastitis, renal infection), L. ponoma (abortion, fatal calf haemolytic dz), L. hardjo (abortion)
• Mid-late term abortion but can cause infertility in carriers
• Diagnosis = microscropic agglutination test, PCR, FAT
• Prevention by vaccination annually with 7 in 1
Bovine Herpesvirus 1 = infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, pustular vulvovaginitis + balanoposthitis, generalised dz in newborn calves
• Pustular vulvovaginitis + balanoposthitis = subtype 1.2a + 1.2b
• Replicates in vagina / prepuce = focal necrotic lesions that form ulcers for 2 wks
• CS = vaginal discharge, polyuria, penile / prepucial ulc, inflammation due to 2° bacterial infections (metritis + temporary infertility with purulent discharge)
• Latent infection in sacral ganglia
Akabane virus = enveloped RNA virus with Arthropod transmission
• Dz in naïve pregnant cows → crosses placenta to CNS
• Viraemia for < 1 wk (CS dependant on stage of gestation) o 3-4 mths = hydranencephaly
o 5-6 mths = arthrogryposis
o Late pregnancy = polioencephalomyelitis, abortion, still birth
• Diagnosis = CS, positive Ab in calf, Ab in dam
BVDV (Pestivirus) = enveloped DNA virus
• Transmission close contact (PI shed by body secretions – saliva, tears, nasal discharges, milk, urine, semen, faeces)
• A transiently-infected bull will not become a PI but can develop a persistent testicular infection
• PI calves → poor performers + / - congenital defects (hydraencephaly, cerebellar hypoplasia); source of BVDV; develop mucosal dz (die @ 12-18 mths)
• Infection in non-pregnant = diarrhoea in 8-24 mths, infection in pregnant cows, PI calves o 2.5 mths = foetal death
o < 4 mths = brain / eye defects with PI since immunotolerant for virus but die of mucosal dz o > 4 mths = develop neutralising Ab since immune system matures
Pathogens Involved in Reproductive Failure: Sheep
Sheep:
abortion storm of 3-4 yrs ewe; ram with epididymitis + enlarged / pendulous / firm testesBacterial Viral: Fungal: Protozoa:
• Brucella ovis
• Listeria ssp
• Campylobacter fetus ssp. fetus
• Salmonella
• Coxiella burretti
• Leptospirosis
• Yersinia ssp
• Chlamydia ssp
• Akabane
• Pestivirus
• Bluetongue
• Toxoplasmosis
• Sarcocystis
• Neospora canium
Iatrogenic Other Toxicities
• Live vaccines
• Corticosteroids
• Prostaglandins
• Genetic
• Multiple foetuses
• Stress or dz in dam = heat
• Trauma
• Nutrition deficiency = I, Cu, Se
• Metabolic dz (hypoglycaemia)
• Nitrates
• Mycotoxins
• Oestrogenic plants
• Annual ryegrass toxicity
Chlamydia ssp: G – (but lack peptidoglycan layer); obligate intracellular pathogen
• Only grow in cell cultures or embryonated eggs
• Habitat = asymptomatic carriers (ssp are distinct for a few hosts)
• Elementary body (infectious) binds to susceptible cell → engulfed by cell by exocytosis → becomes reticulate body (non- infectious) in vacuole → undergoes binary fission → reverts to elementary body → elementary body released by lysis
• Transmission = contact with fresh / dried infected body fluids into oral (aborted placenta, uterine fluids) / respiratory (aerosols) / ocular / genital (venereal) / rectal
• All ssp are potential zoonotic → C. psittaci (psittacosis, ornithosis)
• Dz = typically chronic infection:
o RT = rhinitis + pneumonia o Conjunctivae = conjunctivitis o CNS = encephalomyelitis o Joints = arthritis
o GIT = enteritis
• Diagnosis = culture from placenta in embryonated eggs / cell culture + PCR; serology using complement fixation test / ELISA Chlamydia abortus = placentitis + necrosis of cotyledons → abortion / systemic infection of fetus (or dead / weak neonates)
• Late term abortion / stillbirth or birth of weak lambs
• Source = placenta / discharges from aborting ewes
• Enzootic abortion = exotic in AUS
Chlamydia pecorum = polyarthritis in lambs + occasionally abortion (also keratoconjunctivitis, pneumonia, enteritis, mastitis)
• Sporadic bovine encephalomyelitis in cattle / buffalo = encephalitis, peritonitis, fibrinous pleuritis Causing of epididymitis + orchitis in rams:
• Brucella ovis + B. melitensis (exotic)
• Actinobacillus seminis
• Histophilus ovis
• Haemophilus ssp
• Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
• Chlamydia abortus (exotic)
• Sterile, trauma-induced spermatic granulomas
Brucella: G – coccobacilli; aerobes; oxidase + (except B. ovis); non-motile
• Transmission = ingestion, exposure of mucosal surface (genital tract, conjunctiva, RT, skin)
• Source = aborted foetus, foetal material
• Path: invades MM to regional LN / disseminated haematogenously / localises in mononuclear phagocytic system + reproductive tract
B. abortus Cattle Exotic Zoonotic B. melitensis SR Exotic Zoonotic B. suis Pigs Endemic Zoonotic B. ovis Sheep Endemic No B. canis Dogs Exotic Zoonotic
