Toxoplasmosis associated with abortion in goats and sheep in Connecticut

Toxoplasmosis was diagnosed in a caprine fetus from a farm in Stonington, Conn. Placenta had multiple areas of focal necrosis and calcification. Toxoplasma was found in the placenta and in the fetal liver and heart. The doe had an indirect hemagglutination (IHA) titer of 1:2,048 to T gondii 2 days after abortion. There was no other abortifacient agent isolated. Serologic survey on the farm showed that the remaining 4 adult goats, the 8 sheep, the 4 cats, and the 4 persons on the farm had antibody to T gondii. One of the goats had an IHA titer of 1:2,048 at about 3 months after abortion, and 1 of the ewes had an IHA titer of 1:2,048 at about 5 months after abortion.