ACTA VETERINARIA BRNO, cilt.73, sa.4, ss.465-472, 2004 (SCI-Expanded)
Twenty-five bovine fetuses naturally infected with Brucella abortus were morphologically and immunohistochemically evaluated in association with bacteriologic culture. Histopathological changes were mainly bronchopneumonia in the lungs, lymphoid hyperplasia and lymphoreticular hyperplasia in the liver and spleen. Histopathologic changes in other organs and tissues revealed hematogenous spread of the infection. Immunoreactivivy to Brucella abortus was detected in all the lungs (25 fetuses) examined. However, the antigen was not detected in any of the thymus examined. Intracellular antigenic localization was identified mainly in macrophages, neutrophils and hepatocytes. In addition, B. abortus strains were isolated from abomasal contents and lungs of 22 fetuses. Eighteen of the strains were biotype 1 and the remaining four were biotype 3. These findings indicate the usefulness of immunohistochemistry in suspected cases where bacteriologic culture is negitive and in cases where serology is not possible or material fixed in formalin.