Bruce A. Beck

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1977

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Biology and Microbiology

Abstract

Listeriosis, an infectious disease of animals and man, is characterized by localized encephalitis, meningoencephalitis or abortion. In 1933 Listeria was first isolated from a human infant and in the late 1930’s, listeric abortion was first recorded in cattle and sheep. Not until 1950 was much attention given to perinatal listeric infection. Since then, uterine infection and abortion, stillbirth or neonatal death have been reported in virtually all species of animals. Statistics from the South Dakota Animal Research and Diagnostic Laboratory show that abortion cause by Listeria monocytogenes accounted for 48 per cent of the 164 reported cases of listeriosis over a four-year period from 1971 through 1975. There have been many studies on infection of pregnant animals with Listeria monocytogenes. The first abortion studies involved the isolation of Listeria from a pregnant ewe and premature lamb during an outbreak abortion among sheep. When the same organism was inoculated intravenously (i.v.), intraperitoneally (i.p.) or swabbed into the vagina of pregnant guinea pigs, abortion followed. Listeria was again re-isolated from the fetuses and vaginal discharge of guinea pigs.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Listeriosis in animals

Hemolysis and hemolysis

Mice -- Diseases

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

59

Publisher

South Dakota State University

Download

Share

COinS