Bovine viral diarrhea virus abortion in goats housed with persistently infected cattle

Twenty-four border disease virus-seronegative, pregnant, mixed breed goats were experimentally comingled with 3 heifers persistently infected with bovine viral diarrhea virus type 2a (BVDV-2a). Twelve of the 24 exposed does aborted. Twenty-nine fetuses and 16 placentas from affected does were submitted to the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for a necropsy examination. Infection with BVDV was confirmed with a combination of immunohistochemistry, BVDV-2 polymerase chain reaction, and virus isolation in 19 of the 29 fetuses. On gross examination of the 19 fetuses and placentas in which BVDV-2a infection was confirmed, a mild placentitis (3/19), fetal mummification (1/19), and facial deformities (4/19) were noted. Histologically, placentitis (2/19), myocarditis (4/19), thymic depletion (5/19), choroid plexitis (3/19), encephalitis (2/19), and cerebral gliosis (1/19) were noted. Other causes of abortion in goats, including common bacterial and viral infections, were ruled out with histology, virus isolation, polymerase chain reaction, and aerobic bacteriologic cultures. As supported by the findings in this case, BVDV-2a should be included as a differential for abortion in goats. This is the first report of abortion in goats after exposure to persistently infected cattle.