Bovine abortion caused by Ureaplasma diversum infection in Midwest Brazil

Ureaplasma diversum has been reported to infect the respiratory and genital systems in cattle, leading to numerous reproductive alterations, including abortions. However, detailed and comprehensive studies of fetal pathology in naturally infected cases are lacking in the scientific literature to this date. Therefore, this study describes the pathological lesions in three fetuses spontaneously aborted by three heifers naturally infected with U. diversum localized in three municipalities from Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The fetal necropsy revealed diffusely reddened and unexpanded lungs. Histologically, diffuse moderate subacute to chronic neutrophilic and histiocytic bronchointerstitial pneumonia with bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue hyperplasia. U. diversum was identified in fetal tissues by molecular approaches and sequencing. To our knowledge, this is the first description of bovine abortion caused by U. diversum infection in the Midwest of Brazil.