Fig. 1.

Histopathology of representative placental samples from bovine abortions. (A) Case 13Ue1524, most likely etiology: Coxiella burnetii. The epithelium of the placental villi is diffusely necrotic. Few trophoblast cells contain intracytoplasmic bacteria compatible with C. burnetii (arrowheads). (B) Case 13Ue0253, most likely etiology: Neospora caninum. Moderate suppurative inflammation of the interstitium (inf) and necrosis of the villar epithelium (*). Parasitic cysts containing tachyzoites (arrowhead) are present. (C) Case 13Ue0755, possible etiology: Escherichia coli. Large colonies of intravascular coccoid rods (b) expand the lumina of placental vessels. Placental villi show necrosis (*) and moderate suppurative inflammation. DNA of N. caninum was also detected in the fetal brain. HE, 400x, bar = 50 μm.