Volume 22 • Issue 04 • 2018
Coxiella burnetti (Q-fever).
Figure 9 - umbilical torsion with the twisted umbilicus
accompanied by congestion, hemorrhage and edema.jpg
Brucellosis (Brucella abortus, Brucella
melitensis).
Figure 10 - Brucella placentitis exhibiting necrotic cotyledons and
focal inter-cotyledonary thickening and opacity adjacent to the
right ventral cotyledon
Placental lesions are not uniform with some
cotyledons being affected while others appear
normal. Affected cotyledons or portions of
them are necrotic, soft, yellow-gray, and may
be covered with the sticky, odorless, brown
exudate. The distribution and severity of inter-
cotyledonary lesions are also variable, being
most prominent adjacent to the cotyledons.
Affected inter-cotyledonary areas are thickened
with yellow gelatinous fluid, opaque and tough,
and the normal smooth glistening surface takes
on an appearance resembling yellow-to-gray
leathery appearance.
Figure 11 - copious intercotyledonary exudate with placental
thickening and involvement of the adjacent cotyledon
In Coxiella burnetti associated abortions lesions
are usually restricted to the placenta with no
characteristic fetal lesions present. Affected
placentae are usually thickened and leathery,
with multifocal to confluent areas of
mineralization. Exudate is usually extensive
and off-white creamy in appearance being most
prevalent in the inter-cotyledonary zones with
variable cotyledonary involvement.
*Pathology presentation is primarily inter-
cotyledonary
with
lesser
cotyledonary
involvement.
Chlamydia abortus / pecorum.
Figure 12
*Pathology presentation is primarily cotyledonary
with lesser inter-cotyledonary involvement.
Figure 13
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