Two Years after Coxiella burnetii Detection: Pathogen Shedding and Phase-Specific Antibody Response in Three Dairy Goat Herds

The infection dynamics of Coxiella (C.) burnetii were investigated in three dairy goat herds (A, B, and C) 2 years after the first pathogen detection. A total of 28 and 29 goats from herds A and B, and 35 goats from herd C, were examined. Sera were analyzed on three sampling dates using phase-specific serology. Pathogen shedding was assessed using post-partum vaginal swabs and monthly bulk tank milk (BTM) samples. Dust samples from a barn and milking parlor were also collected monthly. These samples were analyzed with PCR (target IS1111). In herd A, individual animals tested seropositive, while vaginal swabs, BTM, and most dust samples tested negative. Herds B and C exhibited high IgG phase I activity, indicating a past infection. In herd B, approximately two-thirds of the goats shed C. burnetii with vaginal mucus, and irregular positive results were obtained from BTM. Herd C had two positive goats based on vaginal swabs, and BTM tested positive once. Dust samples from herds B and C contained C. burnetii DNA, with higher quantities typically found in samples from the milking parlor. This study highlights the different infection dynamics in three unvaccinated dairy goat herds and the potential use of dust samples as a supportive tool to detect C. burnetii at the herd level.

Infectious abortions in small domestic ruminants in the Iberian Peninsula: Optimization of sampling procedures for molecular diagnostics

Introduction

Infectious abortions have a major impact on small domestic ruminant farms, i.e., sheep and goats, both in terms of profitability and health status. Therefore, rapid and sensitive diagnosis is essential to minimize losses. Currently, molecular techniques, such as qPCR, are routinely used for their diagnosis, which imply the need to manipulate all abortive material, with consequent biosafety risks. Here, we evaluate the frequency of the main abortifacient pathogens in small domestic ruminants in the Iberian Peninsula and also assess an alternative approach for the optimization of sampling for molecular diagnosis.

Results

A total of 392 clinical cases were analyzed from April 2020 to May 2021, evidencing that the main causative agents of abortion detected were Coxiella burnetii (49.0%), Chlamydia abortus (38.3%) and, to a lesser extent, Toxoplasma gondii (10.2%), Salmonella enterica (7.1%) and Campylobacter spp. (6.1%). An uneven distribution of these pathogens was observed between ruminant species, with a higher frequency (p < 0.05) of T. gondii, S. enterica and Campylobacter spp. in sheep than goat abortions, and among geographic areas, highlighting the higher frequency (p < 0.05) of T. gondii and Campylobacter spp. in the north compared to southeastern Spain. The alternative sampling method, consisting on the use of fetal tongues and placental swabs in replacement of the whole fetus and placental tissue, offered a very good agreement with the classical method for all pathogens, except for low concentrations of C. burnetii, which seems to have a doubtful role in abortion when its concentration in the abortifacient material is low.

Conclusions

This study reveals a high frequency of infectious etiology in abortions of small domestic ruminants in the Iberian Peninsula and validates for the first time an alternative sampling method for molecular diagnosis that will help to provide rapid and accurate results while minimizing biosafety risks.

Approaches to increase recovery of bacterial and fungal abortion agents in domestic ruminants

Abortions in domestic ruminants cause significant economic losses to farmers. Determining the cause of an abortion is important for control efforts, but it can be challenging. All available diagnostic methods in the bacteriology laboratory should be employed in every case due to the many limiting factors (autolysis, lack of history, range of samples) that complicate the investigation process. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the recovery of diagnostically significant isolates from domestic ruminant abortion cases could be increased through the use of a combination of the existing aerobic culture and Brucella selective method with methods that are commonly recommended in the literature reporting abortion investigations. These methods are examination of wet preparations and impression smears stained by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen method, anaerobic, microaerophilic, Leptospira, Mycoplasma and fungal culture. Samples of placenta and aborted foetuses from 135 routine clinical abortion cases of cattle (n = 88), sheep (n = 25) and goats (n = 22) were analysed by the new combination of methods. In 46 cases, bacteria were identified as aetiological agents and in one case a fungus. Isolation of Brucella species increased to 7.4% over two years compared with the previous 10 years (7.3%), as well as Campylobacter jejuni (n = 2) and Rhizopus species (n = 1). Salmonella species (5.9%) and Trueperella pyogenes (4.4%) were also isolated more often. In conclusion, the approach was effective in removing test selection bias in the bacteriology laboratory. The importance of performing an in-depth study on the products of abortion by means of an extensive, combination of conventional culture methods was emphasised by increased isolation of Brucella abortus and isolation of C. jejuni. The combination of methods that yielded the most clinically relevant isolates was aerobic, microaerophilic, Brucella and fungal cultures.

Investigation of the outbreaks of abortions and orchitis in livestock in Namibia during 2016-2018

This study investigated outbreaks of seemingly related abortions and orchitis which occurred in the Khomas, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa regions of Namibia from 2016 to 2018, affecting cattle, sheep and goats. Fifty-nine questionnaires were administered, and 48 were completed giving an 81.4% return. The outbreaks were limited to Namibia's east and central regions, mainly on farms rearing cattle, sheep and goats and on farms with a mixture of these species. There was no significant difference between Khomas and other regions on abortion reporting at the farm level [X2 (1, N = 48) = 0.0002, p = 0.987851]. However, there was a significant difference in the abortions at the animal level among the three regions [X2 (2, N = 6246) = 239.8339, p = .00001]. In addition, the proportions of abortions calculated at the animal level at each farm were significantly different when the Khomas region was compared to the other regions. Seventeen cattle sera, 35 sheep sera, 52 caprine sera, 18 bovine liver samples, one caprine liver, five aborted cattle foetuses, two cattle placentas, 18 testes (one bull, eight bucks and nine rams) and ten bull sheath scrapings were collected and tested. Histopathology, microbiology, serology, immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and mineral analytical techniques were used to establish the aetiology of the abortion and orchitis outbreaks. The gross and histopathological findings on the 18 testicles were characteristic of chronic orchitis. In aborted foetuses, significant histopathological findings included meconium aspiration, funisitis and cardiomyopathy. Placentitis and endometritis were the primary pathologies observed in cows. The bacteria isolated from microbiological samples included Enterococcus spp. (65.5% [19/29]), Enterobacter spp. (6.9% [2/29]) and Streptococcus spp. (10.3% [3/29]), Trueperella pyogenes (3.4% [1/29]), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (3.4% [1/29]), Staphylococcus epidermidis (3.4% [1/29]), Providencia rettgeri (3.4% [1/29]) and Acinetobacter lwoffii (3.4% [1/29]), mostly opportunistic bacteria. On mineral analysis, 28%, 33%, 83%, 33% and 17% (n = 18) of cattle livers were low in copper, zinc, manganese, selenium and iron, respectively. Twenty-three percent (12/52) of the caprine sera were positive for Brucella melitensis on the Rose Bengal and complement fixation tests. Thirty-five ovine sera were tested for B. melitensis, B. ovis and Coxiella burnetii, and the prevalence for each was 2.9% (1/35). PCR tests on foetuses were all negative for Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetii, Chlamydia spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter fetus spp., Leptospira pathogenic strains, bovine viral diarrhoea virus, Rift Valley fever virus, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and bovine herpes virus 4 Campylobacter fetus spp. and Trichomonas foetus spp. The authors concluded that Brucella spp., Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Streptococcus spp., Trueperella pyogenes and Coxiella burnetii could have contributed to this outbreak. Micronutrient imbalances and pathogenic abiotic nanoparticles were also identified as possible contributors to the abortion outbreaks.

Diagnostic Investigation of 100 Cases of Abortion in Sheep in Uruguay: 2015–2021

The aim of this work was to identify causes of abortion through laboratory investigations in sheep flocks in Uruguay. One hundred cases of abortion, comprising 58 fetuses, 36 fetuses with their placentas, and 6 placentas were investigated in 2015–2021. Cases were subjected to gross and microscopic pathologic examinations, and microbiological and serological testing for the identification of causes of abortion, including protozoal, bacterial, and viral pathogens. An etiologic diagnosis was determined in 46 (46%) cases, including 33 (33%) cases caused by infectious pathogens, as determined by the detection of a pathogen along with the identification of fetoplacental lesions attributable to the detected pathogen. Twenty-seven cases (27%) were caused by Toxoplasma gondii, 5 (5%) by Campylobacter fetus subspecies fetus, and 1 (1%) by an unidentified species of Campylobacter. Fourteen cases (14%) had inflammatory and/or necrotizing fetoplacental lesions compatible with an infectious etiology. Although the cause for these lesions was not clearly identified, T. gondii was detected in 4 of these cases, opportunistic bacteria (Bacillus licheniformis, Streptococcus sp.) were isolated in 2 cases, and bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 subtype i (BVDV-1i) was detected in another. Campylobacter jejuni was identified in 1 (1%) severely autolyzed, mummified fetus. BVDV-2b was identified incidentally in one fetus with an etiologic diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. Microscopic agglutination test revealed antibodies against ≥1 Leptospira serovars in 15/63 (23.8%) fetuses; however, Leptospira was not identified by a combination of qPCR, culture, fluorescent antibody testing nor immunohistochemistry. Neospora caninum, Chlamydia abortus, Chlamydia pecorum, Coxiella burnetii and border disease virus were not detected in any of the analyzed cases. Death was attributed to dystocia in 13 (13%) fetuses delivered by 8 sheep, mostly from one highly prolific flock. Congenital malformations including inferior prognathism, a focal hepatic cyst, and enterohepatic agenesis were identified in one fetus each, the latter being the only one considered incompatible with postnatal life. Toxoplasmosis, campylobacteriosis and dystocia were the main identified causes of fetal losses. Despite the relatively low overall success rate in establishing an etiologic diagnosis, a systematic laboratory workup in cases of abortion is of value to identify their causes and enables zoonotic pathogens surveillance.

The Global Prevalence of Neospora caninum Infection in Sheep and Goats That Had an Abortion and Aborted Fetuses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Neospora caninum (N. caninum) can be a potential factor causing a significant rate of miscarriages in small ruminants (sheep and goats) worldwide. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the global status of N. caninum in sheep and goats that had an abortion and aborted fetuses. Five English databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest) were searched for relevant scientific articles published from their inception until November 4, 2021. Finally, 21 studies conducted on sheep (1,671 aborted fetuses and 935 abortive sheep) and 10 studies on goats (130 aborted fetuses and 80 abortive goats) were included for the final meta-analysis. A random-effects meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Moreover, sensitivity analysis, publication bias test, and quality assessment were performed in this study. The pooled prevalence of N. caninum in aborted fetuses of sheep and goats globally was estimated to be 15% (95% CI: 9-21%) and 7% (95% CI: 2-12%) using molecular methods. Besides, the seroprevalence of N. caninum was estimated to be 17% for aborted fetuses of sheep. The overall prevalence rate of N. caninum infection in sheep that had an abortion was 3%. The present results show a relatively high prevalence of N. caninum infection in sheep that had an abortion and aborted fetuses compared to goats. Therefore, further studies using different diagnostic techniques to more accurately estimate the rate of infection in sheep and goats may help provide adequate control measures and strategies to reduce the rate of abortion in sheep and goats and reduce economic damage to the livestock industry. This study was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; code: CRD42020216694).

An Accessible Diagnostic Toolbox to Detect Bacterial Causes of Ovine and Caprine Abortion

Results of laboratory investigations of ovine and caprine cases of abortion in the lambing season 2015–2016 were analyzed, using pathology records of submissions to Royal GD (Deventer, the Netherlands) from January until and including April 2016, in comparison with the results of two accessible alternative techniques for sampling aborted lambs and kids, swabbing the fetal oropharynx and puncture of the fetal lung. Chlamydia abortus was the main cause of abortion in sheep as well as in goats. Other causes of abortion were Campylobacter spp., Listeria spp., Escherichia coli, and Yersinia enterocolitica. Ovine pathological submissions resulted more often in detecting an infectious agent compared to caprine submissions. For the three main bacterial causes of abortion, Campylobacter spp., Listeria spp., and Chlamydia spp., compared to results of the pathological examination, oropharynx mucus, and fetal lung puncture samples showed an observed agreement of 0.87 and 0.89, an expected agreement of 0.579 and 0.584, and a kappa value of 0.691 and 0.737 (95% CI: 0.561–0.82 and 0.614–0.859), respectively. The agreement between the results of the pathological examination and both fetal lung puncture and oropharynx mucus samples was classified as good. In conclusion, although a full step-wise post-mortem examination remains the most proper way of investigating small ruminant abortions, the easily accessible, low-threshold tools for practitioners and farmers as described in this paper not only provide reliable results compared to results of the post-mortem examination but also stimulates farmers and veterinarians to submit fetuses and placentas if necessary. Suggestions for further improvement of both alternatives have been summarized. Both alternatives could also be tailor-made for specific regions with their specific causes of abortion.

Causes of Abortions in South American Camelids in Switzerland-Cases and Questionnaire

Over the last decade, South American camelids (SAC) have gained increasing popularity in Switzerland. They are used for several purposes such as fiber and meat production, as companion or guard animals and for trekking activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and reasons for pregnancy loss and perinatal death in SAC herds. Within the scope of this study, early embryonic losses could not be identified, as pregnancy examinations by ultrasonography are not performed routinely. Aborted and stillborn fetuses were collected, necropsied and analyzed for infectious abortifacients. A nationwide survey among breeders was carried out. During a 1.5-year period, only eight cases of aborted or stillborn alpaca and llama (out of a population of 6550 animals) were reported by the breeders, and their causes were subsequently analyzed. In half of the cases, Coxiella burnetii was identified in the fetoplacental material. Abortions and stillbirths were reported to be rare in Swiss herds. As a conclusion, recording of embryonic losses through ultrasound training of veterinarians should be impaired and breeders motivated to have abortions and perinatal mortality examined. Special focus should be laid on C. burnetii due to its zoonotic risk.

COMPARISON OF NATURALLY OCCURRING EIMERIA INFECTIONS IN ALPINE AND NERA DI VERZASCA GOAT BREEDS REARED IN A SUB-ALPINE ENVIRONMENT

The present study aimed to describe the natural trend of Eimeria spp. oocysts shedding in different breeds of adult goats raised in a sub-Alpine ecosystem by quantitative copromicroscopic analysis. A 1-yr long longitudinal study was planned in a goat herd composed of non-native (Alpine) and autochthonous (Nera di Verzasca) breeds. FLOTAC double technique was implemented to analyze individual fecal samples collected monthly from 2 groups (non-native and native) of 10 goats each. A generalized linear mixed model, in which each goat was included as a random intercept effect, identified 4 predictors of logarithmically transformed oocysts per gram shedding: the number of days from parturition (F = 27.744; P < 0.001), the interaction between the goat breed and the number of days from parturition (F = 8.407; P = 0.004), the interaction between the number of days from parturition and the number of parturitions (F = 6.371; P = 0.012), and the interaction between the monthly rainfalls and temperatures (F = 4.536; P = 0.023). These results indicate that the physiological status (number of days from parturition) of adult goats and its interaction with other individual features (number of parturitions and breed) can affect Eimeria spp. oocysts shedding. Besides, a combination of climatic variables can pose a risk for Eimeria spp. infection in goats reared in the sub-Alpine environment.

Global prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the aborted fetuses and ruminants that had an abortion: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a zoonotic apicomplexan protozoan that can cause reproductive losses in ruminants across the world. Therefore, a meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the worldwide prevalence of T. gondii infection in the aborted fetuses and stillbirths of sheep, goat, and cattle. Moreover, it attempted to evaluate the prevalence rate of T. gondii infection in ruminants that had abortions using serological methods. Based on the keywords, a systematic search of six databases was conducted to retrieve cross-sectional articles in English-language. Data were synthesized to calculate the overall prevalence of T. gondii infection worldwide using the random-effects model with a 95 % confidence interval (CI). Moreover, the present study includes sensitivity analysis, publication bias test, and quality assessment of the studies. The final analyses included 37, 19, and 8 studies conducted on sheep (4383 aborted fetuses and stillbirths as well as 1940 abortive sheep), goat (248 aborted fetuses and stillbirths and 533 abortive goats), and cattle (460 aborted fetuses and stillbirths and 165 abortive cattle). The overall prevalence rates of T. gondii infection in aborted fetuses and stillbirths globally were 42 % (95 % CI: 17 %-67 %), and 31 % (95 % CI: 11 %-51 %) using molecular methods for sheep and goats, as well as 16 % (95 % CI: 11 %-22 %) and 27 % (95 % CI: 1 %-54 %) using serological tests for sheep and goats, respectively. In addition, the overall prevalence rates of T. gondii infection in sheep and goats that had abortions were 56 % (95 % CI: 35 %-76 %) and 50 % (95 % CI: 6 %-94 %), respectively. These analyses could not be performed in cattle due to the small number of studies and the small number of animals under study. According to the high prevalence of T. gondii infection in sheep and goats that had an abortion, T. gondii could be a potential factor of causing reproductive failures in ruminants worldwide. So, effective control measures and strategies are needed to reduce the rate of abortion in sheep and goats as well as reduce the economic damage to the livestock industry.

Economic and public health importance of Toxoplasma gondii infections in sheep: 2009-2020

Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. The present review summarizes worldwide information on the prevalence of clinical and subclinical infections, epidemiology, diagnosis, control, and genetic diversity of T. gondii in sheep in the past decade. There is debate and uncertainty concerning repeat congenital infection as evidenced by finding T. gondii DNA in progeny of chronically infected sheep. However, there is no concrete evidence that T. gondii is the cause of repeated abortions in sheep. Recent data concerning pathogenesis of abortion in acutely infected sheep are reviewed. PCR-RFLP typing of T. gondii DNA derived from viable T. gondii isolates or tissues of infected sheep revealed low genetic diversity in sheep in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America but high diversity in South America. This review will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, veterinarians, and public health workers.

Evaluation of an investigative model in dairy herds with high calf perinatal mortality rates in Switzerland

The objective of this study was to evaluate an investigative model which encompassed the risk factors, incidence, timing and causes of perinatal mortality (PM) (0-48 h) on high risk dairy farms (PM of >5% in the previous year) in Switzerland. This pilot-study was carried out on 47 predominantly Holstein PM calves from 21 dairy farms, between September 2016 and January 2018. Gross pathological examinations of calves and placentae as well as histopathological examinations of internal organs and placental tissue were performed. Further investigations included microbiological examinations: broad-spectrum bacterial and fungal culture, detection of Chlamydia abortus, Coxiella burnetii, pathogenic Leptospira spp. and Neospora caninum by real-time PCR (qPCR) and of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) by Ag-ELISA. Maternal blood samples were used for serology of bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1), Brucella abortus, Chlamydia abortus, Coxiella burnetii and nine pathogenic leptospiral serovars and the evaluation of trace element status. A questionnaire was completed with the farmer, which included general farm characteristics and case-related data. Inbreeding coefficients (IC) were calculated for pure-bred matings. At the farm-level, the PM rate was 10.0% (5.3-28.2%) and at the cow-level, 11.5%. These values, from high-risk farms, were approximately five-times higher than the contemporary national bovine PM rate (2.3%) in Switzerland. The risk factors associated with these high PM rates were the self-selection of high risk herds, the high proportion of primiparae in these herds (45%) and the evidence of widespread pathogenic infections on these farms (exposure: 67% of herds, 53% of dams; infection: 57% of herds, 45% of calves). The majority (68.1%) of calves died intrapartum. The most commonly diagnosed initiating/ultimate cause of death (UCOD) was infection (34%) of which Coxiella burnetii was the most frequently detected pathogen, by antigen. The most frequently diagnosed proximate cause of death (PCOD) was asphyxia (44.7%), though multiple PCOD was also common (21.3%). This study was the first detailed investigation of bovine PM in Switzerland. Infectious causes were diagnosed more frequently than expected. While the findings from these high PM Swiss herds may have limited external validity, the investigative model adopted and the detailed research methodologies employed can be replicated and re-evaluated, respectively, in future studies on PM internationally.

Serological detection of anti-leptospiral antibodies in outdoor cats in Switzerland

Leptospirosis is endemic in Switzerland affecting a broad range of hosts. The aim of this study was to estimate the exposure of cats to Leptospira in Switzerland. Plasma samples from 107 outdoor cats with an array of clinical problems were tested via microscopic agglutination test for the presence of anti-leptospiral antibodies against 12 serovars of 9 serogroups. Using a reciprocal cut-off titre of 1:100, an overall seroprevalence of 10.3% (95%CI 5.2-17.7) was observed. Seroreactivity against serovars Bratislava (n = 6), Australis (2), Pomona (3) and Copenhageni (1) was detected with reciprocal titres ranging from 1:100 to 1:800. The serologic status of the cats was independent of the disease group (p = 0.62). These results show that cats in Switzerland are commonly exposed to Leptospira and confirm the importance of serogroup Australis in this region.

Toxoplasma gondii infection and toxoplasmosis in farm animals: Risk factors and economic impact

The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Felids, including domestic cats, are definitive hosts that can shed oocysts with their feces. In addition to infections that occur by accidental oral uptake of food or water contaminated with oocysts, it is assumed that a large proportion of affected humans may have become infected by consuming meat or other animal products that contained infective parasitic stages of T. gondii. Since farm animals represent a direct source of infection for humans, but also a possible reservoir for the parasite, it is important to control T. gondii infections in livestock. Moreover, T. gondii may also be pathogenic to livestock where it could be responsible for considerable economic losses in some regions and particular farming systems, e.g. in areas where the small ruminant industry is relevant. This review aims to summarize actual knowledge on the prevalence and effects of infections with T. gondii in the most important livestock species and on the effects of toxoplasmosis on livestock. It also provides an overview on potential risk factors favoring infections of livestock with T. gondii. Knowledge on potential risk factors is prerequisite to implement effective biosecurity measures on farms to prevent T. gondii infections. Risk factors identified by many studies are cat-related, but also those associated with a potential contamination of fodder or water, and with access to a potentially contaminated environment. Published information on the costs T. gondii infections cause in livestock production, is scarce. The most recent peer reviewed reports from Great Britain and Uruguay suggest annual cost of about 5-15 million US $ per country. Since these estimates are outdated, future studies are needed to estimate the present costs due to toxoplasmosis in livestock. Further, the fact that T. gondii infections in livestock may affect human health needs to be considered and the respective costs should also be estimated, but this is beyond the scope of this article.

Limited added value of fungal ITS amplicon sequencing in the study of bovine abortion

Bovine mycotic abortion is sporadic and caused by different ubiquitous and opportunistic fungi. Recently, a broad spectrum of bacterial opportunists involved in bovine abortion was revealed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. We hypothesized that fungal organisms potentially involved in bovine abortion also might remain undetected by conventional culture. In this retrospective study, we therefore applied fungal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region amplicon sequencing to 74 cases of bovine abortion submitted to our diagnostic service. The investigation was complemented by fungal culture and, retrospectively, by data from bacteriological, virological and parasitological analyses and histopathological examination of placentas. Fungal DNA was found in both the placentas and abomasal contents, with 92 fungal genera identified. In 18 cases, >75% of the reads belonged to one specific fungal genus: Candida (n = 7), Malassezia (n = 4), Cryptococcus (n = 3), unidentified Capnodiales (n = 3), Actinomucor (n = 1), Cystofilobasidium (n = 1), Penicillium (n = 1), Verticillum (n = 1) and Zymoseptoria (n = 1) with one case harboring two different genera. By culture, in contrast, fungal agents were detected in only 6 cases. Inflammatory and/or necrotizing lesions were found in 27/40 histologically assessed placentas. However, no lesion-associated fungal structures were detected in HE- and PAS-stained specimens. Complementary data revealed the presence of one or more non-fungal possible abortifacient: Chlamydiales, Coxiella burnetii, Leptospira spp., Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus, Streptococcus uberis, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pluranimalium, Bacillus licheniformis, Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus, Serratia marcescens, Trueperella pyogenes, Schmallenbergvirus, Neospora caninum. The mycobiota revealed by sequencing did not differ between cases with or without a possible infectious etiology. Our study suggests that amplicon sequencing of the ITS2 region from DNA isolated from bovine abortion does not provide additional information or new insight into mycotic abortion and without complementary analyses may easily lead to a false interpretation of the role of fungal organisms in bovine abortion.