HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA (HS) IN CATTLE

Introduction

Synonyms: Pasturellosis, shipping fever, ghatsurp,Gala Ghotu

It is an actual infectious disease of cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat. It distances transportation. In India, the disease is enzootic in nature. Etiology environmental conditions, malnutrition and long distance transportation. In India, the disease is enzootic in nature. HS is an acute pasteurellosis, caused by Pasteurella multocida and manifest by anacute and highly fatal septicemia principally in cattle and water buffalo; the latter are thought to be more susceptible than cattle.

HS occurs infrequently in swine and even less common in sheep and goats. It has been reported in swine and even less common in donkeys.

Infrequently in deer, yak and probably other feral ruminants. Laboratory rabbits and mice are highly susceptible to experimental infection

Etiology: It is caused by Pasteurella multocida

Symptoms:

1. High fever (106 – 107°F)

2. Loss of appetite

3. Suspended rumination

4. Dullness and depression

5. Rapid pulse & heart rate

6. Profuse salivation and laciration.

7. Profuse nasal discharge

8. Difficult/snoring respiration

9. Swelling of throat region (submandibular oedema)

10. Death within 10-72 hours.

Diagnosis:——-

1. History of season, climate & stress factor.

2. Symptoms -high fever, swelling of throat region.

3. Postmortem findings – hemorrhages throughout body & submandibular edema.

4. Examination of blood smears and smears from oedematus fluid.

5. Isolation of the organism from blood & edematous fluid.

Transmission, Epidemiology, Pathogenesis——

Infection occurs by direct contact or indirect contact. The source of infective bacteria is thought to be the nasopharynx of bovine carriers. Natural infection occurs by ingestion or inhalation.

The initial site of proliferation thought to be the tonsillar region. In susceptible animals, a septicemia develops rapidly, and death due to endotoxemia ensues within 8-24 hour after the first signs are seen. Exotoxins have not been demonstrated.

The mortality rate is high when the agent is introduced to virgin or nonendemic regions. Losses vary widely in endemic areas.

Clinical Findings——

Most cases are acute or per acute, resulting in death within 8 hours after onset. Because the course is so short, clinical signs may easily be overlooked.

Animals first evince dullness, then reluctance to move, fever, salivation, and serous and nasal discharge. Edematous swelling is frequently seen, beginning in the throat and spreading to the parotid region, neck, and brisket.

Mucous membranes are congested. There is respiratory distress, and usually the animal goes down and within hours.

Occasional cases linger for several days. Recovery is rare. There appears to be no chronic form.

Lesions—-

The most obvious changes in affected animals are the edema, widely distributed hemorrhages, and general hyperemia.

In most cases, there is an edematous swelling of the head, neck, and brisket region. Incision of the swelling musculature, and the sub serous petechial hemorrhages, which are found through the animal, are particularly characteristic.

Blood-tinged fluid is often found in the pericardial sac and in the thoracic and abdominal cavities.

Petechial hemorrhage particularly prominent in the pharyngeal and cervical lymph nodes.

Gastroenteritis seen only occasionally and, unlike pneumonic pasturellosis, pneumonia usually extensive.

Differential diagnosis—

Although typical outbreaks are not difficult to recognize clinically, particularly in endemic regions, acute salmonellosis, anthrax, pneumonic pasteurellosis and rinderpest should be considered.

Treatment——

Various sulfonamides, tetracyclines, penicillin and chloramphenicol are effective if administered early.

Because of the rapid course of the disease and the frequent difficulty of access to animals, antimicrobial therapy often is not practicable. Although multiple antibiotic resistances have been reported for some strains of P.multocida, it has not been described for the HS serotypes.

Treatment is effective if given in early stage of disease.

a) Specific treatment:

1. Injection. Sulphadimidine @ 150 mg/Kg body weight IV daily for 3 days

2. Injection Oxytetracycline @ 5-10 mg/Kg body weight IV or IM daily for 3 days.

b) Supportive treatment:

1. Use of antipyretics lo reduces body temperature.

2. Use of antihistaminic e.g. Injection Avil/Cadistin5-10 ml IM.

Homeopathic Treatment :

1. Arsenic 30 or 200 + Pyroginum 200 : Best remedy when depression, dyspnoea

trembling, pyrexia, eyes inflammed , lachrymation, salivation, swollen throat.

Dose: Q.I.D for 1-3 days

2. Arsenicum 200 + Anthracinum 200 + Apis 200 : When pyrexia, throat

edema and depression.

Dose: Q.I.D for 1-3 days

3. Gelsemium 200: When the muscular twitchings, drooling of saliva,

protrusion of tongue and difficult swallowing.

Dose : Q.I.D. for 2-3 days

4. Lacheris 200 : Initial stages it is very effective, when tongue swollen,

bleeding from rectum,

Dose : 1 dose BID for 2 to 3 days

5. Merc. Sol 200 : Salivation, lachrymation, diarrhoea or dysentery

Dose : BID for 2-3 days

Common treatment protocol followed in HS treatment is Oxytetracycline (LA) – 10mg/kg Bwt. i.v., or Sulfadimidine – 100 mg/kg Bwt. i.v., or Procaine Penicillin – 30-45 thousand IU/kg Bwt. i.m., or Trimethoprim sulfadoxine – 3ml/45kg Bwt. i.m., or Tilmicosin – 10mg/ kg Bwt. s.c., or Florfenicol – 20 mg/ kg Bwt. i.m. In contrast to above allopathic regimen, following herbal treatment can be applied for HS, which is given below in –

Herbal treatment for Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS)

Plant & Local Name (hindi)- Family –Habit- Parts Used– Method of Preparation –Route of Adm.—

Arisaema tortuosum Schott. (Bagh Jandhra) —-Araceae –Herb –Rhizome —Its rhizome is crushed to extract the juice and fed to animal— Oral

Capsicum annuum L. (Shimla mirch)—- Solanaceae —-Herb —Fruit —Its fruit is powdered and boiled for few minutes. The soup is fed to animal— Oral

Flacourtia indica (Burm. f) J Merr (Bilangada)— Flacourtiaceae— Tree leaves— Crushed leaves mixed with water and filtrated —-Oral

Solanum incanum L. (Indian rennet)—- Solanaceae—– Shrub —–leaves —–Chopped leaves mixed with water and then sieved —–Nasal

Vernonia amygdalina Del—-Asteraceae —Tree —-Seeds —–Crushed seed mixed with water and filtered —–Oral, Nasal

Calpurnia aurea (Ait.) Benth —–Fabaceae—– Shrub—- leaves—- Crushed leaves mixed with water —–Topical, Oral

Cassytha filliformis L —Lauraceae —Climber —–Whole plant—- Whole plant paste is externally applied on the affected neck —-Topical

Cayratia trifolia (L.) Domin—- Vitaceae —-Climber —-Whole plant—- Whole plant paste is externally Applied —–Topical

Pueraria tuberose (Willd.)DC. —–Fabaceae—— Climber—– Tuber —–Tuber extract is applied —-Topical

Herbal medicine.—- Boil tamarind or camphor leaves are smeared on the affected part bid for 7 days.

Prevention——–

The principle means of prevention is by vaccination.

Three kinds of vaccine are widely used: plain bacterin, alum-type precipitated bacterin, and oil-adjuvant bacterin.

The most effective bacterin is the oil-adjuvant-one dose provides protection for 9-12 month; it should be administered annually.

The alum-precipitated-type bacterin is given at 6 months intervals.

Maternal antibody interferes with vaccine efficacy in calves.

The oil-adjuvant vaccine has not been popular because of difficulty in syringing and occasional adverse tissue reactions.

A live vaccine prepared from a B:3,4 serotype of deer origin is being used with reported success in Southeast Asia.

• Vaccinate animals against hemorrhagic septicemia

• Avoid stress to animals.

• Keep animals and shed clean and dry.

• Bury dead animals

Control:

a) General measures:

1. Isolation and treatment of the affected animals.

2. Close animal markets, cattle shows. Etc.

3. Burning or burial of dead animals.

4. Proper disposal of contaminated feed and water.

5. Disinfection of cattle shed.

6. Avoid long distance transportation and exposure to extreme weather.

b) Vaccination

Alum precipitated M.S. vaccine@ 5 ml subcut every year before monsoon.

Seasonal occurrence of the disease:—

The disease is normally associated with wet and humid conditions prevailing during rainy season. This is because of longer survival of the organism under moist conditions on fomites as wells as herding together of the animals. Therefore, outbreaks occurring during the wet season tend to spread.

Factors influencing the disease outbreak:—-

Buffaloes are more susceptible to the disease than cattle. However, the disease affects both cattle and buffaloes. It is also agreed that greater losses occur in younger animals than in adult animals. The most vulnerable age is between 6 months and 2 years. In areas where regular seasonal outbreaks occur, mortality in individual outbreak is low and is confined to young animals. When outbreaks occur outside the enzootic areas, mortality is high and animals of all ages die. This relationship is based on immunological status of the animals. In an enzootic area, naturally acquired immunity develops in adult animals while only the young animals are susceptible to the disease.

Disease management:—-

HS is a disease of the countries where animal husbandry practises are poor. The outbreaks are reported very late due to poor disease reporting system and the treatment is of little value in animals showing clinical symptoms. Vaccination is an accepted method for control of HS in such areas. It is also possible that the disease can be eradicated by adopting effective vaccination program that will not only prevent the occurrence of the disease but may also eradicate the disease by eliminating carriers in the population. It has been stated that regular vaccination eliminates the carriers. A well designed vaccination program based on judicious and effective use of potent vaccine is a key factor in control program.

HS vaccines:–

A vaccine giving long lasting immunity is in urgent requirement. Alum precipitated vaccine is most commonly used. However, the duration of immunity is shorter (only 4-5 months). Further improvement on alum precipitated vaccine has been achieved by using alum gel adjuvanted vaccine, but significant improvement on duration of immunity could not be achieved. Oil adjuvanted vaccines have been reported to improve the duration of immunity (one year duration). In enzootic areas, the immunity of vaccinated animals seems to be prolonged by exposure to infection. Current vaccine provides protection for 6-9 months but the new vaccine is anticipated to have a longer duration of immunity and to offer greater cross protection as well as being easier to administer.