Anthrax

Anthrax 

                 Peracute septicemic disease of animals caused by Bacillus anthrasis, common in cattle. Commnunicable to man.

Clinical Symptoms- 

            Hyperpyrexia, bleeding from natural orifices, sudden death.

 Confirmation 

              Examination of blood smears. Tarry black blood. Spleen enlarged 8 - 10 times and black. Send either blood or piece or ear neatly packed, for laboratory confirmation (Ascoli's precipitation test and Guinea pig inoculation test.) 

Treatment : 

            Crystalline Pencillin 40 - 80 Lakh i.u. iv and procaine penicilin 40 lakh im. Hyperimmune anti Anthrax serum 100 -200 ml, iv is specific. Repeat crystalline penicillin at 3 hourly interval.

TERRAMYCIN  or OXYSTECLIN in high doses iv could also be used. 

Prophylaxis -

                    Anthrax spore vaccine 1 ml, sc Spore vaccine to be handled with great caution and used only where repeated outbreaks are confirmed. 

Immunity : 

                one  year. Annual revaccination in enzootic areas. Do not open carcass if Anthrax is suspected. Deep burial of carcass and disinfection of cattle shed.

Actionobacillosis, Wooden tongue

Actionobacillosis (Wooden tongue) 

       Disease of bovines caused by Actinobcillus lignieresi. Acute inflammatory. swelling of soft tissues of head (Lymph glands and tongue) followed by indurations and abscess formation of lymph glands. For confirmation send pus smears. 

Treatment : 

Biniodide of Mercury  0.2 gm. in water as

Potassium Iodide  10 gm. a drench for 7 days.

Potassium Iodide 2 gm. in 20 ml. dist. water iv repeated 2 -3 times at 3days interval. 

        Streptopenicillin in high dose daily for 6 - 8 days is highly effective. Long actirg tetracycline (Terramycin-LA, Oxyvet-LA) in recommended dose may also be tried. 

Prophylaxis - 

No vaccine available. The veterinarian and dresser/ attendants should take precautions because the infection is transmissible to human. 

John's Disease (J.D.)

John's Disease (J.D.)

                   A specific infectious chronic enteritis affecting cattle usually of 2 - 6 years age group. Sheep and goats are also affected. Caused by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. Chronic emaciation in spite of normal appetite. Chronic recurrent diarrhoea which does not respond to treatment. Intestinal mucosa thickend and corrugated. Absorption of nutrients does not occur. 

Confirmation 

               Scrapings from rectal m.m.. for acid-fast bacilli in epithelial cell. Serum for C.F. test. Allergic test. Johnin test (Single intradermal test using 0.2 ml. Johnin in the skin of neck. Appreciable oedematous swelling at 48 hrs. indicates positive reaction. Double intradermal testing with Avian tuberculin is also conducted.

Fecal Microscopic Examination:

                  Collect Faecal samples directly from rectum. One gram faecal sample is triturated with pestle and inortar in NSS. Centrifuge triturated mixture at 2000 rpm for 10 minutes. Prepare smears from supernatant of these samples and stain with hiezl-Neelson method of acid fost staining. 

Treatment 

                 Infection is very resistant to treat. Streptomycin @ 25 mg kg body wt. given a prolonged period effects only a transient recovery, hence not economical and usually not advocated Inj. Streptomycin 5 gm vial is now available. 

Control By segregation. No vaccine available.

Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (H.S.)

Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (H.S.)

                     Acute septicaemic disease of cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats caused by Pasteurella multocida. Outbreaks usually occur in early monsoon and during stress conditions. 

Clinical Symptoms 

             The disease mainly occurs in per-acute, acute and sub-acute form. The main symptoms shown are high fever, nasal discharge, dyspnoea, lachrymation, rapid pulse, anorexia, drop in the milk yield, oedema under the jaw/neck. Prostration and death. In some cattle, buffaloes and sheep there is nervous involvement. In some there may be haemorrhagic diarrhoea.

Confirmation Testing in laboratory

              Blood smear and smear from oedematous fluid. Leishman's staining can show typical bipolars organisms. Send blood and gedematous fluid in sterile pippet on ice for rabbit inoculation. 

Treatment 

Effective if given in early stages Sulfa drugs : 

VESADIN (Rhone P.) sc 100 200 ml

DIADIN (Pfizer) as initial dose for adults

SULPHADIMIDINE (Ind. Immunol) Half dose by iv and half 

 DIMDIN (Kosmorex) Repeat half dose after 24 hrs 

                For chronic pastureliosis Inj. Trimethoprim Sulpha or Biotrim iv -15-30 ml by slow iv. In all forms of disease Terramycin or Oxystectlin 40- 60 ml iv are also effective. Maintain prolonged levels by giving Terramycin-LA or Oxysteclin-LA 20 - 30 ml im. Inj. Anthisan 10 ml sc and (or any other antihistamine). 

Prevention

                    Alum precipitated H.S. vaccine 5 ml sc (Immunity: 6 months) Oil adjuvant vaccine 2.5 to 3 ml im (Immunity : 1 year). This may produce severe shock the reaction after vaccination in some animals. The reactions can be controlled by prompt use of antihistaminic inj.