Mohammad Rafiee Barzoki - Department of Microbiology, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
Saeed Aghmasheh - Veterinary Directorate of Qazvin Province, Qazvin, Iran
Pejvak Khaki - Department of Microbiology, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
Mohammad Eslampanah - Department of Pathology, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran

Background and Aim : Abortion is one of the problems of sheep breeders in the country and itdelivers a significant economic benefit to the breeders. Economic damages include abortion in thelast months of pregnancy, premature lambs, weak lambs, deaths of aborted ewes, and preventionand treatment costs. The main cause of abortion in sheep and goats is infectious agents.Campylobacter fetus is one of the most common causes of sheep abortion in the world. In Iran, therole of this factor in abortion has been studied more than other factors. The highest percentage ofCampylobacter infection among these studies related to Zanjan province was reported as ۵۱.۹%Campylobacter infection. The aim of this study was to isolate Campylobacter from cases ofabortion in small ruminants in Qazvin province by usual laboratory methods.Methods : Tissue sampling was done from aborted fetuses (۳۸ cases during the period of April۲۰۱۹ and March ۲۰۲۱) under sterile conditions. Digestive contents, liver and lung were culturedon the special medium of chocolate agar. ۴۸ hours of incubation at ۳۷°C. Gram staining of coloniessuspected of Campylobacter was performed. Purification was performed if the colony and themicroscopic shape of the suspicious colony matched.Results : Of the ۳۸ aborted cases, five Campylobacter agents were isolated (approximately ۱۳%).Conclusion : The results show the importance of this microbial agent in causing abortion in theregion. This result is consistent with a survey in Isfahan. The inconsistency with other results inthe country and the world is due to different investigation methods (Isolation, serum andmolecular).

Campylobacteriosis, Campylobacter, Small ruminants, Qazvin, Abortion