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

OHMANN, H. BIELEFELDT: Immunoglobulin levels in non-aborted and aborted fetuses from Danish herds of cattle. Acta vet. soancl. 1981, 22, 428-434. 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 immunoelecl rophoresis and r adial 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 cahes with pathological changes and/ or verified infection contained considerable amounts of IgM and IgG. IgA was also detected in the latte r group. The results corroborate the diagnostic importance of immunoglobulin detennination in aborted fetuses and stillborn calves.