Sequential sterile autolysis in the ovine fetus: macroscopic changes

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Pathology
• Reproductive Biology
• Forensic Science

Background:

• Infectious abortions in ruminants often present lesions mimicking autolysis.
• Accurate postmortem interval estimation is crucial for diagnosing abortion causes.
• Ovine fetuses provide a relevant model for domestic ruminant reproductive studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally induce and characterize sterile intrauterine autolysis in ovine fetuses.
• To establish a timeline of autolytic changes for estimating postmortem interval.
• To differentiate autolytic changes from lesions caused by infectious abortifacients.

Main Methods:

• Sterile intrauterine autolysis was induced in 28 ovine fetuses via umbilical artery ligation.
• Fetuses were retrieved at intervals from 0.5 to 168 hours post-induction.
• Macroscopic autolytic changes were systematically documented.

Main Results:

• Observed autolytic changes included subcutaneous edema, serous cavity effusions, renal softening, tissue discoloration, hepatic friability, and altered abomasal contents.
• These changes followed a sequential pattern comparable to rabbit fetuses.
• A correlation was established between time and observed autolytic changes.

Conclusions:

• Sequential autolytic changes in ovine fetuses can serve as an index for postmortem retention duration.
• This study provides a basis for reappraising ruminant abortifacients by distinguishing autolysis from specific lesions.
• The findings have comparative biomedical significance for forensic and reproductive pathology.