Coxiella Burnetii detected in the placenta of a sheep
The GD Veekijker was consulted this spring by a sheep farmer who had imported six sheep from Ireland. She had some of these animals tested serologically for Q fever. In one of the imported sheep, antibodies were found against C. burnetii, the pathogen that causes Q fever. The sheep farmer, who was herself 22 weeks pregnant, admitted that she was worried about the findings. She also stated that the sheep in question had lambed that morning and produced one healthy lamb, but that a second had suffocated in the amniotic membrane. After discussion with a specialist GD veterinarian and in agreement with the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), it was decided that the stillborn lamb and the placenta should be submitted for pathological examination. It was stated on Monday 24 March that histological examination (plus additional staining) had demonstrated the presence
of C. burnetii. Consecutive PCR testing also detected C. burnetii. The NVWA was notified of the finding and, in consultation with them, the sheep farmer in question was given information about Q fever by local municipal health service and she was advised to have further blood tests carried out. In this case, it was a backyard sheep farm and there were no reports of illness among humans. GD advised the farmer to have her sheep vaccinated against Q fever.
Q fever is a notifiable disease. If there are an abnormal number of abortions, notification is obligatory. Dairy sheep and goat farms with over fifty animals are required to participate in a bulk tank milk (BTM) monitoring scheme. Positive PCR results from BTM monitoring are notifiable.
Abortion diagnostics results
Through to the end of April 2025, 71 foetuses and neonates from small ruminants (47 lambs and 24 kids) were submitted to GD for pathological examination. Reproductive losses in the form of abortion, premature birth, stillbirth and weak lambs remain common problems in sheep and goats. In the necropsies done so far, contagious causes have been detected in 49 per cent of the lambs and kids submitted. The most frequently occurring pathogens were Listeria spp., Toxoplasma gondii and Campylobacter spp. A small number of lambs and kids were also submitted with congenital abnormalities, including an abnormal spinal column and mild torticollis and arthrogryposis. No contagious causal agents were found. A small number of lambs were submitted with suspected bluetongue virus infections. However, no abnormalities
were found in any of the lambs submitted that could be related to the bluetongue outbreak. In December 2023, BTV-3 was detected in the spleen of an aborted lamb. This lamb did not exhibit any clinical abnormalities.
Many of the infectious causes of abortions are zoonoses; it is therefore important that pregnant women avoid both direct and indirect contact with sheep and goats at lambing time and that appropriate hygiene precautions are taken. When the number of cases of abortions among sheep or goats rises, the NVWA should be notified.
Animal health monitoring
Royal GD has been responsible for animal health monitoring in the Netherlands since 2002, in close collaboration with the veterinary sectors, the business community, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, veterinarians and farmers. The information used for the surveillance programme is gathered in various ways, whereby the initiative comes in part from vets and farmers, and partly from Royal GD. This information is fully interpreted to achieve the objectives of the surveillance programme – rapid identification of health issues on the one hand and monitoring trends and developments on the other. Together, we team up for animal health, in the interests of animals, their owners and society at large.
Salmonella serogroep C
This spring, a dairy goat farm experienced considerable losses among kids in their second week of life. Affected kids presented with purulent nasal discharge, reluctance to drink, and clinical signs consistent with meningoencephalitis, accompanied by symptoms suggestive of abdominal pain. Pathological examinations of four kids led to a diagnosis of gastrointestinal problems associated with Salmonella enterica subsp
enterica serogroup C. Salmonella from this serogroup has not previously been detected in goat kids in the Netherlands. Salmonella spp. from serogroups B and D, including Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Dublin, have been detected in kids. The severity of clinical manifestations in kids ranges from subclinical infection to substantial mortality. Interventions to stop an outbreak are often associated with long-term use of antibiotics.
In some cases, antimicrobial use turns out insufficient. Salmonellosis is rarely diagnosed in adult goats. Purchase of animals and manure are seen as the key risk factors for introduction. Salmonellosis is a zoonosis and considered a notifiable disease.
Salmonella Typhimurium at a rearing facility
Because of respiratory tract problems observed in two-week-old goat kids, one animal was submitted for pathological examination. Pathology revealed a gastrointestinal disorder caused by Salmonella Typhimurium. It is though that the gastrointestinal problem triggered metabolic acidosis that in turn led
to abnormal respiration. Elevated losses, at 2%, without diarrhoea, were reported at the farm. Using cloth overshoes, bedding from several facilities of the farm were sampled; bacteriological testing showed all samples to be positive for S. Typhimurium. In this case, goat kids were transferred at young age from
another farm. However, no clinical signs of salmonellosis had been observed here by the farmer.
Joint inflammations in goat kids caused by erysipelas bacterium
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was cultured from various joints during pathological examination of a goat kid. At the dairy goat farm in question, 10 per cent of the kids – spread across various sections of the farm – showed symptoms of polyarthritis. The effect of treating these kids with antibiotics was deemed disappointing, after which it was decided to submit three representative cases for pathology, during which erysipelas was detected.
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, the causative agent of erysipelas, is a ubiquitous Gram-
positive, rod-shaped bacterium that occurs both as a commensal and as a pathogen in various vertebrate hosts. The bacterium is widespread in nature and is capable of surviving for at least several weeks in the environment.
Erysipelas was also detected this spring in dairy goat kids with joint inflammations. Erysipelas is known to occasionally trigger polyarthritis in sheep. It may also be expressed as skin infections, endocarditis, pneumonia or septicaemia. Although the bacterium is generally highly sensitive
to antibiotics, the treatment often is not successful and therefore the prognosis is poor.
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is a zoonosis and it is shed by infected animals through various secretions (urine, manure, saliva and nasal discharge) Strict hygiene and precautionary measures when handling animals (or carcasses) are essential to prevent zoonotic transmission to humans.
Liver fluke in sheep
Last spring, chronic liver fluke infestations were noted in several sheep that had been submitted for pathological examination. Many of the case histories stated that the animals were in poor condition and had died suddenly. Liver fluke eggs were also regularly found when manure was tested. Additionally, GD received reports from slaughterhouses about livers that had been rejected because of the presence of liver flukes. There were long wet periods during the past year, creating
favourable conditions for the liver fluke snail and liver fluke infestations to develop, which later got onto the land and caused infections in susceptible animal species.
If infection with liver flukes is confirmed, treatment is recommended, followed by assessment of its efficacy 3 to 4 weeks later by testing faecal egg count. Additionally, it is important to identify pastures or high-risk parts of pastures that pose a risk for liver
fluke infestation. This information enables the implementation of preventive measures to reduce the chance of animals ingesting infective stages of the parasite.
Avian influenza detected in a sheep in the United Kingdom
The British government stated on 24 March 2025 that high-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) had been detected in a single sheep on a farm in Yorkshire. Following confirmation of HPAI in the farm’s poultry, additional livestock were tested. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test carried out on a milk sample from the ewe came back positive for HPAI, as did the antibody test carried out on the ewe’s blood. Virus typing identified subtype H5N1, matching the variant found
in the poultry. Other than mastitis, the ewe showed no clinical signs. No evidence of infection was found in other sheep on the premises. The poultry and the infected ewe were subsequently culled.
Animal health barometer – Small Ruminants
Disease/disorder/health characteristic
Articles 2.1.a and 2.1.b of the Designation of Animal Diseases in the ‘Rules for Animal Health’/Implementing
(EU) 2018/1882 of the Animal Health Law (EU) 2016/429 (Category A disease)
Infectious pleuropneumonia in goats (CCPP)
(Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae)
Never detected in the Netherlands.
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) FMD has not been reported in the Netherlands since 2001. Various outbreaks have been reported in Europe since January 2025; one was confirmed in January at a water buffalo farm in Germany and several cases were then detected in Hungary and Slovakia. High-risk imports are investigated by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NWVA). No further spreading to other countries has been detected.
Infection with goat plague (a.k.a. PPR, peste des petits ruminants)
Infection with Rift Valley Fever virus (RVF)
Never detected in the Netherlands. Various outbreaks have been reported in Europe since July 2024. In addition to outbreaks in Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, infections have been reported more recently in Hungary, near its western border. There have been warnings that people in the region are often not keen on notifying the authorities.
Never detected in the Netherlands. A+D+E
Sheep pox and goat pox (SGP) Never detected in the Netherlands. From October 2023 onwards, multiple outbreaks have been confirmed in Greece. Several outbreaks have recently been reported in Bulgaria.
Articles 2.1.a and 2.1.b of the Designation of Animal Diseases in the ‘Rules for Animal Health’/Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 of the Animal Health Law (EU) 2016/429 (Categories B to E)
Infection with Brucella abortus, B. melitensis
The required numbers of random samples for 2024 have been achieved. All results were negative and the Netherlands therefore retains its disease-free status. GD is paying a great deal of extra attention to obtaining the necessary number of samples for this monitoring.
Disease/disorder/health characteristic
Infection with the rabies virus
Infection with the bluetongue virus (serogroups 1-24)
Epididymitis in sheep (Brucella ovis)
Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (M. bovis, M. caprae, M. tuberculosis)
Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)
Paratuberculosis (Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis)
Q fever (Coxiella burnetii )
Echinococcosis
Detected very rarely in bats.
An outbreak of BTV-3 has been ongoing since September 2023. The virus causes severe problems on sheep farms and to a lesser extent on goat farms. Since 2023, BTV-3 has spread through large parts of Europe. Since September 2024, BTV-12 has been detected at a limited number of farms in the Netherlands. The UK also recently reported a positive finding for BTV-12.
Examination of rams for export purposes. Not previously confirmed in NL.
The Netherlands has been officially free of bovine tuberculosis since 1999.
Last registered outbreak in cattle in 1993. No infections detected since then.
Regular cases, largely in goats (inc. dairy) and occasionally in sheep.
The final dairy goat farm with C. burnetii was certified free from infection in 2016. In 2024, Q fever was detected at a dairy sheep farm in Bakel. A group of lambing one-year-olds that were not vaccinated against Q fever were shown to be excreting the Q fever bacterium after lambing. In the spring of 2025, C. burnetii was detected in the placenta of an imported sheep at a backyard farm.
An echinococcus cyst was detected during pathological examination of a sheep in April 2023. The specific type is not known.
Trichinellosis No known cases of trichinellosis in sheep or goats.
Disease/disorder/health characteristic
Article 2.1.c Designation of animal diseases in the ‘Rules for Animal Health’ of the Dutch Animals Act
Transferable TSEs (scrapie, BSE)
No more cases among sheep in recent years. In goats, the first case of scrapie was in 2000 and the last in 2001.
Article 3a.1 Notification of zoonoses under the ‘Rules for Animal Husbandry’ of the Dutch Animals Act
Campylobacteriosis (Campylobacter spp.)
Leptospirosis (Leptospira Hardjo)
Listeriosis (Listeria spp.)
Salmonellosis (Salmonella spp .)
Yersiniosis (Yersinia spp.)
Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii)
A few cases per year. Particularly known as a cause of abortion in sheep in particular.
No cases in sheep or goats for several years. In 2024, this was suspected in aborted sheep foetuses, but the finding could not be confirmed because the sheep farmer in question refused to cooperate.
Encephalitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes is regularly found in sheep and especially in dairy goats. Problems caused by listeriosis are reported at a few dairy goat farms each year. How long listeria bacteria are excreted into the milk for is not known. Both L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii can cause abortion in sheep and goats. * * Further investigation is desirable into the types found in humans and animals.
Since 2016, there have been recurrent and large-scale losses of kids at dairy goat farms, caused by a multiresistant S. Typhimurium. There were also multiple cases of disease in humans caused by the same strain (MLVA analysis) of the bacterium. In recent years, a draft programme has been developed as part of the PPS project for salmonellosis in dairy goat farming. The decision on implementation will be taken by the dairy goat sector. The bacterium has recently been detected in dairy goat kids.
A few cases per year. Identified as a cause of diarrhoea, mortality and abortion.
Only a few confirmed cases per year but probably one of the most commonly occurring causes of abortion. High seroprevalence has previously been demonstrated in sheep and goats.
Disease/disorder/health characteristic
Other OIE list diseases
Enzootic abortion (Chlamydia abortus)
Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE)
One of the main causes of abortion in goats and sheep for many years. Distribution from farm to farm is through contaminated female breeding stock. Very difficult to tackle once introduced to a flock. Enzootic abortion is a zoonosis and therefore one of the key reasons why pregnant women should not work with small ruminants at lambing time.
A commonly occurring disease in which the pathogenic virus sometimes behaves differently depending on the size of the farm. Source of introduction not always clear.
Maedi-visna virus (MVV) A significant infectious disease (or indeed the most significant) at sheep farms, larger ones in particular.
Tularaemia (Francisella tularensis)
Mycoplasma agalactiae
Nairobi sheep disease
Heartwater (Ehrlichia ruminantium)
Infections with Schmallenberg virus (SBV)
Since 2011, infected hares have regularly been found in the Netherlands, as well as a small number of human tularaemia patients.
Never detected in the Netherlands.
Never detected in the Netherlands.
Never detected in the Netherlands.
There have been infections with SBV every year since 2011, resulting in congenital abnormalities in lambs. There have also been various notifications in early 2024 of lambs showing congenital abnormalities caused by SBV. Excluding other possible causes of such congenital abnormalities in lambs remains important for early detection of the introduction of other viruses from the Bunyaviridae group.
From monitoring
Abortion in small ruminants
Coxiella burnetii detected in the placenta of a sheep raised for meat
During the early months of 2025, various infectious agents were detected that cause abortions in sheep and goats. Many causes of abortions are also zoonoses.
Coxiella burnetii detected in the placenta and stillborn lamb of an imported sheep.
investigation3
* * pilot study in 2025 into Chlamydia spp. in small ruminants associated with abortion
Continuation of table
Disease/disorder/health characteristic
Salmonellosis on dairy goat farms
Two confirmed cases of salmonellosis in breeding goats.
Group C Salmonella has not previously been detected in breeding goats. In the other case, S. Typhimurium was detected.
Chronic liver fluke disease
Abnormal lymph nodes at an abattoir
Avian influenza detected in a sheep in the United Kingdom
There have been several cases of chronic liver fluke disease in sheep being signalled through the Veekijker and pathological examinations.
Two lambs from the same farm had multiple enlarged internal lymph nodes. Cause unknown.
In the United Kingdom, a single sheep was shown to have highpathogenic avian influenza; this was at a farm where infected poultry were also present.
1 Quiet: no action required or action is not expected to result in a clear improvement.
2 Increased attention: alert to an anomaly.
3 Further investigation: further investigation is ongoing or required.
