Abortion and death in goats inoculated with Sarcocystis sporocysts from coyote feces.

Ten 75- to 105-day-pregnant does each were inoculated orally within 1 million (2 does), 10,000 (4 does), or 1,000 (4 does) sporocysts of Sarcocystis from coyote feces. Two does not inoculated with sporocysts served as controls. The 2 does inoculated with 1 million sporocysts died from acute sarcocystosis 21 and 22 days after inoculation (DAI), and each had 2 dead fetuses. The 4 does inoculated with 10,000 sporocysts were ill 19 to 33 DAI but survived; 1 aborted at 33 DAI, 1 had a live kid that died within 2 hours of birth 31 DAI, 1 aborted 2 dead fetuses 23 DAI, and 1 had a normal kid 56 DAI. The 4 does inoculated with 1,000 sporocysts and the 2 control does remained clinically normal and had normal kids. Does and their offspring were killed within 24 hours of parturition, and their tissues were examined histologically and microbiologically. Meronts of Sarcocystis were found in the maternal placenta of does inoculated with 1 million sporocysts. Sarcocystis was not found in the placenta, fetuses, or tissues of kids from does inoculated with 10,000 or 1,000 sporocysts, or from control does. Other abortifacient agents were not found in the placenta, fetuses, or kids from any does.