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Background
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Salmonella enteritidis subsp. enteritidis ser. abortus ovis, a sheep-adapted serotype, causes an infectious disease with abortion as the main symptom sometimes accompanied with mortality of lambs at term.
Salmonella abortus ovis infections can be found worldwide, but are particularly common in Europe and Western Asia.
Diagnosis is made by culture of placenta, fetus, or uterine discharge. Isolation of aborting ewes and destruction of contaminated bedding and of all products of abortion reduce contamination. Prevention is mainly based on vaccination and annual vaccination with dead or living vaccines is advisable in endemic areas.
Serological research of antibodies against S. abortus ovis could have a fundamental importance when the infected sheep showing no excretion of the pathogen. Moreover a simple, quick and reliable ELISA test could made easier the infection diagnosis and the herds screening. Obviously the assay can be also used to check the immunity response to S. abortus ovis vaccination.
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