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Surveillance
Surveillance northern ireland disease surveillance report
Northern Ireland disease surveillance, January to March 2014 l Listerial encephalitis in adult cattle l Oxalate nephrosis in Zwartble ewes and lambs l Histomonosis in chickens l Feline tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis These are among matters discussed in the Northern Ireland animal disease surveillance quarterly report for January to March 2014
Cattle
Respiratory diseases Respiratory disease was identified in 95 cattle postmortem examination submissions between January and March 2014. The most common pathogens identified included Mannheimia haemolytica (25 cases), Mycoplasma bovis (24 cases), Pasteurella multocida (11 cases), Histophilus somni (eight cases), Trueparella pyogenes (seven cases) and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (three cases). Necrotic laryngitis was diagnosed on gross postmortem examination of a 12-month-old bull that died after showing apparent nervous signs. There was severe bilateral ulcerative and suppurative laryngitis causing marked narrowing and obstruction of the laryngeal inlet (Fig 1). Such lesions are usually due to infection with Fusobacterium necrophorum subspecies necrophorum. Fibrinopurulent pleurisy and hydrothorax was seen in a one-month-old calf submitted with a history of sudden death. Ascites and fibrinous peritonitis were also present and M haemolytica was recovered from multiple tissues.
Alimentary diseases Of 4150 blood samples that were tested for bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) by virus isolation or antigen capture ELISA, 311 (7.5 per cent) were positive. In addition, four out of 355 (1.1 per cent) submitted tissues and nasal mucus samples were positive by immunofluorescence. Five cases of mucosal disease were confirmed at
524 | Veterinary Record | May 24, 2014
postmortem examination during this period. Abomasal torsion was diagnosed in a four-year-old Friesian cow submitted for postmortem examination after becoming recumbent within a week of calving. A distinctive feature of this case was involvement of the omasum and reticulum. Abomasal ulceration with perforation and peritonitis was FIG 1: Bilateral ulcerative and suppurative laryngitis diagnosed in a three-day-old calf. causing marked narrowing and obstruction of the At postmortem examination laryngeal inlet in a bull there were fibrinous adhesions between the loops of intestine. omental sac. There was a 10 cm diameter The abomasum was distended by yellow hole in the omentum through which loops flocculant fluid and there was a cluster of of small intestine had herniated and become mucosal ulcers with black haemorrhagic incarcerated. The intestines were congested bases, one of which had perforated. and deep purple with a tear in the wall of Rotavirus was detected by ELISA in the one of the loops. caecal contents and Escherichia coli was recovered in septicaemic distribution. Sarcina ventriculi, which has been associated Jejunal haemorrhagic syndrome with abomasitis, was not recovered from Possible jejunal haemorrhage syndrome cultures in this case and tissues, including was diagnosed on gross postmortem abomasum, were negative for the presence examination of a three-year-old cow of BVDV. submitted with a history of dullness, A strangulated intestinal hernia was inappetence and foetid diarrhoea. There diagnosed in a three-year-old cow submitted was a 20 cm long section of jejunum to with a history of abdominal pain. On which a firm, 8 cm diameter, 20 cm long gross examination, there was blood-stained cylinder of clotted blood was closely excess free fluid in the abdominal cavity. adhered. The small intestine proximally The omentum was congested with fibrin contained firm clotted blood in the lumen and ingesta on the internal surfaces of the and the jejunal wall, and associated mesentery was discoloured brown and poorly preserved, while distally clotted blood was mixed with bloody fluid. Clostridium perfringens was recovered from small intestine cultures but no alpha toxin was detected by ELISA. Further work on this case is ongoing.
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Surveillance TABLE 1: Pathogens identified in bovine neonatal faecal samples in Northern Ireland, January to March 2014 Number Pathogen
Tested
Positive (%)
Cryptosporidium species
484
154 (31.8)
Rotavirus
508
168 (33.1)
Coronavirus
503
28 (5.6)
Escherichia coli K99
195
2 (1.0)
Neonatal enteritis The pathogens identified in neonatal bovine faecal samples during the quarter are shown in Table 1. Overall, Cryptosporidium species and rotavirus were the most common pathogens identified.
Other enteric conditions Parasitic ova found in ruminant faeces samples submitted during the period are shown in Table 2.
Johne’s disease Examination for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) was carried out by microscopic examination, with Ziehl-Neelsen staining, on 240 bovine faecal samples. Eight samples (3.3 per cent) contained acid-fast organisms typical of MAP. Of 10,144 bovine blood samples that were tested for antibodies to MAP, 769 (7.6 per cent) were positive.
Nutritional and metabolic diseases Poisoning due to pyrrolizidine alkaloids following ingestion of ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) was diagnosed in a 15-month-old heifer, one of a group of 10 that had died following a period of dullness and lethargy. At gross postmortem examination, excess clear fluid was seen in the abdomen and there was marked gelatinous oedema of the subcutis and connective tissue throughout the body. The liver was firm, pale and fibrous. Histologically, there was hepatic fibrosis and marked megalocytosis, characteristic of pyrrolizidine poisoning.
Reproductive and mammary diseases Abortion
Specimens from 164 bovine abortions and stillbirths were examined during the quarter. Significant pathogens were detected in 71 cases (43.3 per cent). Of these, Bacillus licheniformis (21 cases, 12.8 per cent) was the most commonly identified pathogen. Other pathogens identified included T pyogenes (12 cases, 7.3 per cent), Leptospira (11 cases, 6.7 per cent), Listeria monocytogenes (eight cases, 4.9 per cent), Neospora caninum (seven cases, 4.3 per cent), BVD (seven cases, 4.3 per cent), E coli (six cases, 3.7 per cent) and Salmonella Dublin (three cases, 1.8 per cent).
TABLE 2: Endoparasitic infections in ruminants in Northern Ireland, January to March 2014 Total Liver fluke Bovine 870 Ovine 233 Paramphistomes Bovine 873 Ovine 233 Coccidia Bovine 1006 Ovine 274 Strongyle worm egg count Bovine 957 Ovine 260
Number negative
Number with
Surveillance
Surveillance northern ireland disease surveillance report
Northern Ireland disease surveillance, January to March 2014 l Listerial encephalitis in adult cattle l Oxalate nephrosis in Zwartble ewes and lambs l Histomonosis in chickens l Feline tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis These are among matters discussed in the Northern Ireland animal disease surveillance quarterly report for January to March 2014
Cattle
Respiratory diseases Respiratory disease was identified in 95 cattle postmortem examination submissions between January and March 2014. The most common pathogens identified included Mannheimia haemolytica (25 cases), Mycoplasma bovis (24 cases), Pasteurella multocida (11 cases), Histophilus somni (eight cases), Trueparella pyogenes (seven cases) and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (three cases). Necrotic laryngitis was diagnosed on gross postmortem examination of a 12-month-old bull that died after showing apparent nervous signs. There was severe bilateral ulcerative and suppurative laryngitis causing marked narrowing and obstruction of the laryngeal inlet (Fig 1). Such lesions are usually due to infection with Fusobacterium necrophorum subspecies necrophorum. Fibrinopurulent pleurisy and hydrothorax was seen in a one-month-old calf submitted with a history of sudden death. Ascites and fibrinous peritonitis were also present and M haemolytica was recovered from multiple tissues.
Alimentary diseases Of 4150 blood samples that were tested for bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) by virus isolation or antigen capture ELISA, 311 (7.5 per cent) were positive. In addition, four out of 355 (1.1 per cent) submitted tissues and nasal mucus samples were positive by immunofluorescence. Five cases of mucosal disease were confirmed at
524 | Veterinary Record | May 24, 2014
postmortem examination during this period. Abomasal torsion was diagnosed in a four-year-old Friesian cow submitted for postmortem examination after becoming recumbent within a week of calving. A distinctive feature of this case was involvement of the omasum and reticulum. Abomasal ulceration with perforation and peritonitis was FIG 1: Bilateral ulcerative and suppurative laryngitis diagnosed in a three-day-old calf. causing marked narrowing and obstruction of the At postmortem examination laryngeal inlet in a bull there were fibrinous adhesions between the loops of intestine. omental sac. There was a 10 cm diameter The abomasum was distended by yellow hole in the omentum through which loops flocculant fluid and there was a cluster of of small intestine had herniated and become mucosal ulcers with black haemorrhagic incarcerated. The intestines were congested bases, one of which had perforated. and deep purple with a tear in the wall of Rotavirus was detected by ELISA in the one of the loops. caecal contents and Escherichia coli was recovered in septicaemic distribution. Sarcina ventriculi, which has been associated Jejunal haemorrhagic syndrome with abomasitis, was not recovered from Possible jejunal haemorrhage syndrome cultures in this case and tissues, including was diagnosed on gross postmortem abomasum, were negative for the presence examination of a three-year-old cow of BVDV. submitted with a history of dullness, A strangulated intestinal hernia was inappetence and foetid diarrhoea. There diagnosed in a three-year-old cow submitted was a 20 cm long section of jejunum to with a history of abdominal pain. On which a firm, 8 cm diameter, 20 cm long gross examination, there was blood-stained cylinder of clotted blood was closely excess free fluid in the abdominal cavity. adhered. The small intestine proximally The omentum was congested with fibrin contained firm clotted blood in the lumen and ingesta on the internal surfaces of the and the jejunal wall, and associated mesentery was discoloured brown and poorly preserved, while distally clotted blood was mixed with bloody fluid. Clostridium perfringens was recovered from small intestine cultures but no alpha toxin was detected by ELISA. Further work on this case is ongoing.
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on August 29, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Surveillance TABLE 1: Pathogens identified in bovine neonatal faecal samples in Northern Ireland, January to March 2014 Number Pathogen
Tested
Positive (%)
Cryptosporidium species
484
154 (31.8)
Rotavirus
508
168 (33.1)
Coronavirus
503
28 (5.6)
Escherichia coli K99
195
2 (1.0)
Neonatal enteritis The pathogens identified in neonatal bovine faecal samples during the quarter are shown in Table 1. Overall, Cryptosporidium species and rotavirus were the most common pathogens identified.
Other enteric conditions Parasitic ova found in ruminant faeces samples submitted during the period are shown in Table 2.
Johne’s disease Examination for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) was carried out by microscopic examination, with Ziehl-Neelsen staining, on 240 bovine faecal samples. Eight samples (3.3 per cent) contained acid-fast organisms typical of MAP. Of 10,144 bovine blood samples that were tested for antibodies to MAP, 769 (7.6 per cent) were positive.
Nutritional and metabolic diseases Poisoning due to pyrrolizidine alkaloids following ingestion of ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) was diagnosed in a 15-month-old heifer, one of a group of 10 that had died following a period of dullness and lethargy. At gross postmortem examination, excess clear fluid was seen in the abdomen and there was marked gelatinous oedema of the subcutis and connective tissue throughout the body. The liver was firm, pale and fibrous. Histologically, there was hepatic fibrosis and marked megalocytosis, characteristic of pyrrolizidine poisoning.
Reproductive and mammary diseases Abortion
Specimens from 164 bovine abortions and stillbirths were examined during the quarter. Significant pathogens were detected in 71 cases (43.3 per cent). Of these, Bacillus licheniformis (21 cases, 12.8 per cent) was the most commonly identified pathogen. Other pathogens identified included T pyogenes (12 cases, 7.3 per cent), Leptospira (11 cases, 6.7 per cent), Listeria monocytogenes (eight cases, 4.9 per cent), Neospora caninum (seven cases, 4.3 per cent), BVD (seven cases, 4.3 per cent), E coli (six cases, 3.7 per cent) and Salmonella Dublin (three cases, 1.8 per cent).
TABLE 2: Endoparasitic infections in ruminants in Northern Ireland, January to March 2014 Total Liver fluke Bovine 870 Ovine 233 Paramphistomes Bovine 873 Ovine 233 Coccidia Bovine 1006 Ovine 274 Strongyle worm egg count Bovine 957 Ovine 260
Number negative
Number with
