Which of the following is one of the four organisms specifically listed in the compendium as shed during birthing by goats, sheep, or cattle?

• A. Coxiella burnetii
• B. Brucella spp.
• C. Listeria monocytogenes
• D. Leptospira spp.

Answer: (C)

Handling birthing materials in goats, sheep, and cattle carries specific zoonotic risks because certain pathogens are shed directly in birth fluids and placental tissues. Listeria monocytogenes is one of these organisms, known to be present in placentas, membranes, and birth fluids during parturition. This makes contact with birthing materials a meaningful exposure pathway for humans and animals, and it’s a reason why Listeria is highlighted in the compendium as a birth-shed organism. The pathogen’s ability to survive in cool, damp environments further increases the risk around lambing, kidding, or calving. The other options have important disease associations, but their primary shedding routes aren’t as specifically tied to birthing fluids in goats, sheep, or cattle within the compendium’s listing, so Listeria monocytogenes best fits the criteria given.