Treatment & Prevention of Actinomycosis (Lumpy Jaw) in Cattle
It is a non-contagious and infectious disease mainly of cattle that is caused by Actinomyces Bovis. Actinomyces bovis is a branching, gram positive and rod shaped bacterium of genus actinomyces. Two phases exist, one is diploid phase, actinomyces bovis is gram positive and another is haploid phase, actinomyces bovis is a gram negative bacteria. There exist two kinds of theories for the source of infection, the first one is called exogenous theory and another one is called endogenous theory. Exogenous theory suggests that infection is caused by a foreign body such as fungus that is entered into animal tissue known as ‘ray fungus’. This fungus is found on hay, alfalfa, fodder or grain etc. Endogenous theory suggests that in the mouth of healthy animal actinomyces bovis is naturally present. Scientist work on different theories and they isolate the different strains of Actinomyces. Many researcher work on it and then they determine that this respective bacterium is a part of normal flora of mouth and in this way mouth is a source of infection. Cattle are most often affected especially in the head reign. Due to physical damage of mouth tissue disease will occur in this way that bacteria make a colony to deep tissue and bone typically mandible and maxilla will have affected. In endemic countries of world lumpy jaw is a major economic loss for producers.
Epidemiology:
The occurrence of this disease is throughout the world and considered sporadic disease. It has been recorded in cattle, buffalo and human beings as well. In cattle, this disease incidence is higher than other species, where they use silage with wheat straw in feeding. This feed cause injury in the buccal mucosa and predispose them to infection. In horses, the organism of actinomycosis is associated with fistulous withers.
Pathogenesis:
Actinomycosis is characterized by Osteomyelitis of facial bone mandible and maxilla. There will occur the chronic granulomatous inflammation. Here, there will be lumps formed that will make from bones. These lumps will hard and very painful to touch and also immoveable. The size of lumps goes on increasing and in this way sticky honey like fluid containing pus will form. Sometimes, soft tissue like testes, lungs and rumen will also affect and formed abscess.
Clinical Findings:
In the clinical findings of cattle Lumpy jaw is existing itself in two ways. In one form of disease, there form soft tissue abscesses in the mouth and tongue. Other form is as according to the disease second name lumpy jaw as bacteria infects the mandible bone that is present Facial area. There will be formation of pus in between the bony cavity of facial area specifically mandible and maxilla. Incubation Period of this disease is unknown. When it happened it will persist for a very long duration (several days or months). There will be painless, bony swelling which appear at facial bone usually at central molar teeth area. Lesions that formed will enlarge rapidly until after several weeks. There will be very hard swelling that will immobile and in later stage aching to the touch. In some condition practitioner use kaolin poultice that will be helpful in maturation of pus. In this way, pus with sticky fluid and sulfur like granules ooze out from small opening. Diseased Animal could not engulf feed and water. There will be drop in milk production and animal get emaciated.
Diagnosis:
Ø Laboratory diagnosis
Samples:
Ø Pus, smears from the bony lesions, blood and serum.
Laboratory procedures:
Ø Examination of smears prepared from pus or crushed sulfur granules
Ø Isolation and identification of the causative agent, by culture of pus on specific media.
Ø Histopathology to detect granulomatous reaction.
Ø X-rays to see rarefying of bone due to severe periostitis.
Treatment:
Treatment of this disease can be followed according to severity of illness.
Ø As animal could not engulf feed, to sustain the body need must inject with drip of glucose, Dextrose and normal saline to avoid dehydration and others issues
Ø Give animal iodide solution orally, can be use lugol’s iodine solution and tincture iodine solution that are easily available from market is prove to be helpful when given orally 20ml each and mix it in distilled water for 5-6 consecutive days.
Ø Massage the mandibular area with Iodex
Ø Give animal inj. Penicillin through Intra-Muscular Route for 4 days.
Ø Apply kaolin poultice to mature pus, when pus get mature then make a small opening and through gauze clear the area with povidone-iodine solution and opening remain until all pus could not ooze out. In this way treatment could proceed.
LINE OF TREATMENT FOR ACTINOMYCOSIS OR LUMPY JAWS CONDITION IN CATTLE
Actinomyces bovis found sensitive to Penicillin, Streptomycin, Tetracycline, Bacitracin, Cloxacin and Co-trimoxazole. Dicrystin- DS has also recorded sensitive (Gopal Krishna Murthy and Dorairajan, 2008) .
The affected animals are treated with injection penicillin along with Streptomycin Sulphate at the rate of 10 mg / kg body weight (Dicrystin-S,) daily along with Potassium Iodide 10 gram orally daily for 7 to 10 days. Local dressing with Povidone Iodine (Betadine) of the wounds in the mandible region is done daily till the local healing of wounds is completed. Generally animals are get cured in 7 days. However in some animals for complete recovery, treatment is to be continued for 10 days.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like injection of Meloxicam @0.2 mg/kg body weight (Melonex) and Chlorpheniramine maleate (Anistamin) for five days are also given.
NB:
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article of Pashudhan Praharee is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional Veterinary action which is provided by your vet. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information. For any emergency situation related to a Livestock & Pet’s health, please consult your Regd. Veterinarian or nearest veterinary clinic.
Differential Diagnosis:
It confused with:
Ø Abscesses of the cheek muscles and throat region
Ø Bony neoplasm, tooth root infection, bone fractures and bone sinusitis.
Indigestion caused by visceral actinomycosis is confused with other causes of indigestion.
Prevention:
Affected areas must clean with iodine solution. It is advisable; when greater number of animal in a herd is affected due to A. bovis. If, there is any possibility to keep them away from low, marshy soil as grazing area. A change of feed is desirable; or the same feed may be used if it is first steamed or scalded. There is no vaccine against this disease. Affected animal can be treated with proper treatment and isolation from remaining herd can be adopted. There should remove the contaminated material and must ensure the disposal of animal with discharging foci maybe made.
Conclusions and Recommendations:
Although Actinomycosis occurs only sporadically, it is of importance because of its widespread occurrence and poor response to treatment. The disease can be diagnosed by FNAB which is a safe, easy-to-use, fast, effective, inexpensive and minimally invasive diagnostic technique that can be performed. The disease treatment consists of surgical debridement and antibacterial therapy, particularly iodides. Therefore, from this conclusion the following recommendations are forwarded:
Ø Since the disease outbreak is not clearly seen, effective diagnosis and treatment should be considered before extensive and fibrous tissue reaction occurs.
Ø Detailed study on Patho-mechanism of disease like involvements of other soft tissue should be conducted to avoid misdiagnoses of disease.
Ø As the disease was predisposed by oral laceration preventing factors that lead to this condition should be minimized.
Ø Isolation of animals with discharging lesions was also important.
Compiled & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)
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