Various zoonotic microorganisms cause reproductive problems such as abortions and stillbirths, leading to economic losses on farms, particularly within livestock. In South Africa, bovine brucellosis is endemic in cattle, and from 2013–2018, outbreaks of Brucella melitensis occurred in sable. Coxiella burnetii, the agent responsible for the zoonotic disease known as Q-fever and/or coxiellosis, also causes reproductive problems and infects multiple domestic animal species worldwide, including humans. However, little is known of this disease in wildlife. With the expansion of the wildlife industry in South Africa, diseases like brucellosis and coxiellosis can significantly impact herd breeding success because of challenges in identifying, managing and treating diseases in wildlife populations. This study investigated samples obtained from aborted sable and roan antelope, initially suspected to be brucellosis, from game farms in South Africa using serology tests and ruminant VetMAX™ polymerase chain reaction (PCR) abortion kit. The presence of C. burnetii was confirmed with PCR in a sable abortion case, while samples from both sable and roan were seropositive for C. burnetii indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). This study represents the initial report of C. burnetii infection in sable and roan antelope in South Africa. Epidemiological investigations are crucial to assess the risk of C. burnetii in sable and roan populations, as well as wildlife and livestock in general, across South Africa. This is important in intensive farming practices, particularly as Q-fever, being a zoonotic disease, poses a particular threat to the health of veterinarians and farm workers as well as domestic animals. Contribution: A report of clinical C. burnetii infection in the wildlife industry contributes towards the limited knowledge of this zoonotic disease in South Africa.

Equine herpes virus-1 (EHV-1) is a major cause of economic losses in horse industry all over the world especially in the Arabian countries. The aim of the study is the isolation and identification of the local equine herpesvirus-1 at northern Egypt Governorates (Cairo, Dakahlyia, Qalyubia) during 2021- 2022. A total of 50 tissue organs were collected from aborted fetuses of affected mares recently after abortion. The collected samples were screened using consensus PCR for detection of equine herpesviruses (EHVs) using specific primers targeting DNA polymerase gene which revealed that 26 out of 50 samples were positive with percentage of 52%.The molecular positive samples were subjected to conventional PCR for further molecular identification and typing of EHVs using specific primers targeting glycoprotein (gB) gene which confirmed that all amplified products were for EHV-1. Attempts for isolation of EHV-1 were performed through propagation of molecular identified samples on Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cell line which revealed that 19 samples developed characteristic cytopathic effect in form of cell rounding and rapidly enlarging grapes like cell aggregation, and then detached of the cell, while 13 samples induced pock lesions on CAMs of SPF-ECE after inoculation for three successive passages. Serological identification of EHV-1 isolates was confirmed by immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) which showed that 19 samples induced intracytoplasmic greenish yellow fluorescence. Selected EHV-1 isolate was subjected for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for demonstration of virus morphology. The obtained results confirmed that EHV-1 is the major cause of abortion among Arabian mares which disrupts breeding and showcasing events. Future considerations about management strategies together with regular and effective vaccine trials are recommended for control of EHV-1.