Typing of Campylobacter fetus fetus isolated from sheep abortions in New Zealand

Authors: de Lisle GW, Collins DM
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 33, Issue 4, pp 52-53, Apr 1985
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Abortion/stillbirth, Animal remedies/veterinary medicines, Bacterial, Zoonosis, Infectious disease, Reproduction, Immune system/immunology, Reproduction - female, Disease/defect, Vaccination, Public health
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: Outbreaks of ovine abortions caused by Campylobacter fetusfetus (previously C. fetus intestinalis) occur sporadically in many areas of New Zealand. The devastating effects on some flocks have stimulated recent studies of the disease, and have also led to the commercial production of a single strain vaccine (Campylovexin; Wellcome N.Z. Ltd, Auckland). However, it has been shown that single strain C. Fetus vaccines do not protect against serologically distinct strains. Since at least two different serotypes of C. fetus fetus are present in New Zealand, it is not surprising that the commercially available vaccine is only partially effective in some outbreaks. Restriction endonuclease analysis, a new technique for typing bacteria, has been applied in this laboratory to isolates of C. fetus fetus The technique compares closely related organisms on the basis of differences in the nucleotide sequences of their chromosomal DNA. It is a very different approach from the more conventional serological and biochemical techniques which are based upon phenotypic differences. For this study, we obtained 51 isolates of C. fetus fetus from abortion material submitted to the five regional Animal Health Laboratorites during the 1983 lambing season…

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