Immunoglobulin levels in non-aborted and aborted fetuses from Danish herds of cattle

Abstract

The applicability of serological tests in the diagnosis of intrauterine infections in Danish cattle was investigated. Fetuses from slaughter animals, experimentally infected and spontaneously aborted fetuses, premature and stillborn calves, were subjected to necropsy and histological studies, and to microbiological and serological examinations. The latter comprised rocket immunoelectrophoresis and radial immunodiffusion. In sera of the fetuses from slaughter animals, immunoglobulins were either not detectable or only present in very small quantities, whereas sera of fetuses and calves with pathological changes and/or verified infection contained considerable amounts of IgM and IgG. IgA was also detected in the latter group. The results corroborate the diagnostic importance of immunoglobulin determination in aborted fetuses and stillborn calves.