Species: Bovine

Specimen: Fetal stomach contents. Cotyledons or infected tissue. Serum or blood from animals with suspect mycotic pneumonia.

Container: Sterile container

Collection protocol: Aspirate fetal stomach contents.

Special handling/shipping requirements:  Samples are to be transported and stored chilled. Do not freeze samples.

General information about the disease:  Causes abortion in cattle. Unlike other fungal causes of abortion, 20% of cows that abort because of M. wolfii will subsequently develop fatal mycotic pneumonia. It is likely that fungi establish a primary focus of infection in the lungs. The fungi then travel through the blood to the uterus, resulting in endometritis and abortion. After abortion, in 20% of cows, large numbers of fungi then re-enter the circulation, resulting in embolic pneumonia and/or occasionally encephalitis.

Comparison with other related tests:

M. wolfii can be grown in culture but the qPCR provides a more rapid and specific method of detection.