In an outbreak investigation with two calves dead and several cows aborted, should necropsies be performed?

• A. No. Call state or federal officials; tell them that you suspect bioterrorism.
• B. Yes, but wear protective clothing, gloves, and a surgical mask. and protect the environment.
• C. Yes. No precautions are necessary, since zoonotic agents are rare.
• D. No. You must call a university pathologist to help you do the necropsy.

Answer: (B)

Outbreak investigations in livestock rely on necropsies to identify the cause of death and abortion and to gather diagnostic samples, which informs control measures. The best approach is to perform those necropsies but do so with proper biosafety: wear protective clothing, gloves, and a mask, and take steps to protect the environment from contamination. This combination allows you to obtain crucial information about the illness while minimizing risk to people and preventing spread of any infectious agent.

Skipping necropsy misses critical clues about what caused the events, and ignoring precautions isn’t safe because many pathogens can be zoonotic or contagious. Waiting for a specialist to come in or assuming no precautions are needed would delay diagnosis and increase risk. So, proceed with necropsy using appropriate PPE and environmental protections.