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Infection and Immunity, May 2004, p. 2538-2545, Vol. 72, No. 5
0019-9567/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.72.5.2538-2545.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Reinfection with Chlamydophila abortus by Uterine and Indirect Cohort Routes Reduces Fertility in Cattle Preexposed to Chlamydophila

Fred J. DeGraves,1 TeaYoun Kim,1 JunBae Jee,1 Tobias Schlapp,2 Hans-Robert Hehnen,2 and Bernhard Kaltenboeck1*

Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, 264 Greene Hall, Auburn, Alabama 36849-5519,1 Bayer AG, TG-F/IK-BIO, Monheim, Gebäude 6210, D-51368 Leverkusen, Germany2

Received 16 January 2004/ Accepted 28 January 2004

This study investigated the effects of controlled reinfection on fertility of cattle naturally preexposed to Chlamydophila abortus. All animals had high prechallenge levels of immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, IgG1, and IgG2 serum antibodies against ruminant C. abortus in a chemiluminescent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Twenty virgin heifers were estrus synchronized with prostaglandin F2, artificially inseminated 2 to 3 days later, and challenged immediately by intrauterine administration of 0, 104, 105, 106, or 108 inclusion-forming units (IFU) of C. abortus. Ten heifers were estrus synchronized, inseminated, and uterine challenged 2 weeks later. These animals were also indirectly exposed to C. abortus infection (cohort challenged) by contact with their previously challenged cohorts. Pregnancy was determined by rectal palpation 42 days after insemination. All anti-C. abortus antibody isotypes increased in heifers following uterine challenge with 108 IFU. A total of 11, 83, 50, 66, and 0% of heifers were pregnant after uterine challenge with 0, 104, 105, 106, and 108 IFU of C. abortus, respectively. A total of 50 and 65% of heifers were pregnant with and without cohort challenge, respectively. Uterine inoculum dose and cohort challenge (or, alternatively, a negative pregnancy outcome [infertility]) correlated highly significantly with a rise in postchallenge anti-C. abortus IgM levels over prechallenge levels. Logistic regression modeled fertility, with uterine challenge dose and cohort challenge or prechallenge IgM as predictors (P < 0.05). The models predict that the uterine C. abortus inoculum causing infertility is 8.5-fold higher for heifers without cohort exposure and 17-fold higher for heifers with high IgM levels than for heifers with cohort exposure or with low IgM levels.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, 270 Greene Hall, Auburn, Auburn, AL 36849-5519. Phone: (334) 844-2665. Fax: (334) 844-2652. E-mail: kaltebe{at}auburn.edu.

Editor: D. L. Burns

Infection and Immunity, May 2004, p. 2538-2545, Vol. 72, No. 5
0019-9567/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.72.5.2538-2545.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Petit, T., Spergser, J., Aurich, J., Rosengarten, R. (2008). Examination of semen from bulls at five Austrian artificial insemination centres for chlamydiae and mollicutes. Vet Rec. 162: 792-793 [Full Text]  
  • Biesenkamp-Uhe, C., Li, Y., Hehnen, H.-R., Sachse, K., Kaltenboeck, B. (2007). Therapeutic Chlamydophila abortus and C. pecorum Vaccination Transiently Reduces Bovine Mastitis Associated with Chlamydophila Infection. Infect. Immun. 75: 870-877 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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