Ntivuguruzwa, Jean BoscoKolo, Francis BabamanMwikarago, Emil IvanVan Heerden, Henriette2022-12-052022-12-052022Ntivuguruzwa, J.B., Kolo, F.B., Mwikarago, E.I. & Van Heerden, H (2022). Characterization of Brucella spp. and other abortigenic pathogens from aborted tissues of cattle and goats in Rwanda. Veterinary Medicine and Science 8,1655–1663. https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.805.https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/88628BACKGROUND : Abortions cause tremendous economic losses in food-producing animals and may lead to food insecurity. OBJECTIVES : This study aimed to characterize Brucella spp. and other abortigenic pathogens from aborted tissues of cattle. METHODS : For cattle, aborted tissues (n = 19) were cultured, and Brucella spp. were detected using the genus-specific 16S-23S ribosomal DNA interspacer region (ITS) assay and speciated using Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella ovis, and Brucella suis (AMOS) and Bruce-ladder PCR assays. Brucella negative samples were screened using the eight abortigenic pathogens PCR panel. Samples from an abortion outbreak that occurred within a goat tribe were included in this investigation. Sera of females (n = 8) and males (n = 2) were analyzed using the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA), while vaginal swabs (n = 3) and aborted tissues (n = 1) were cultured and characterized. RESULTS : The ITS-PCR detected Brucella DNA in cultures from two aborted tissues of cattle (10.5%, [2/19]), which were identified as B. melitensis (n = 1), and B. abortus (n = 1) using AMOS and Bruce-ladder PCR assays. Campylobacter fetus (n = 7) and Leptospira spp. (n = 4) including co-infections (n = 2) of C. fetus and Leptospira spp. were identified from the Brucella negative samples of cattle. Goats (100.0%, 10/10) were brucellosis seropositive on RBT and i-ELISA. Mixed infections caused by B. melitensis and B. abortus were isolated from the vaginal swabs (n = 3) and aborted tissues (n = 1). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS : This is the first identification of abortion-associated pathogens in aborted cattle indicating the enormous financial losses and a threat to public health. It is therefore essential to include these identified pathogens in the surveillance scheme of veterinary and human services.en© 2022 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.CharacterizationGoatsCattleAbortigenic pathogensRwandaArticle