[Abortive infection of mice inoculated intraperitoneally with Chlamydia ovis]

A mouse adaptated strain of Chlamydia ovis, when inoculated in the peritoneal cavity, caused the death of both pregnant and non pregnant mice. In addition, mice inoculated late in pregnancy (12 to 16 days after breeding) aborted 4 to 6 days after inoculation. Chlamydia was recovered from foetuses and from the organs of the mice (Liver, Spleen, Lungs). The severity of the disease was related to the inoculum concentration, so it was possible to induce late abortions with a rapid recovery of the females, like in the natural infection of the ewes. In the same conditions, the original Chlamydia strain maintained by passage on yolk sac, induced only an inapparent disease transmissible to the young mice.