Bacillary hemoglobinuria in Japanese black cattle in Hiroshima, Japan: a case study

J Vet Med Sci. 2011 Feb;73(2):255-8. doi: 10.1292/jvms.10-0231. Epub 2010 Oct 8.

Abstract

Three Japanese Black cows housed with 6 other cows exhibited main clinical symptoms of severe hemoglobinuria. Hematological analyses conducted after antibiotic therapy demonstrated severe anemia, and biochemical analyses indicated both severe hemolysis and disruption of hepatic function. One of the three cows died. Based on the above analyses and observation of typical clinical symptoms, a speculative diagnosis of bacillary hemoglobinuria was made, and immediate high-dose antibiotic treatment improved the general conditions of the surviving animals. Blood samples from the other 2 cows were collected sequentially after antibacterial therapy. Clostridium haemolyticum was detected by a nested polymerase chain reaction analysis of the blood samples. The cows were diagnosed with the second recorded occurrence of bacillary hemoglobinuria in Japan.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Cattle
  • Cattle Diseases / drug therapy
  • Cattle Diseases / microbiology*
  • Cattle Diseases / urine
  • Clostridium / genetics
  • Clostridium / isolation & purification*
  • Clostridium Infections / drug therapy
  • Clostridium Infections / microbiology
  • Clostridium Infections / urine
  • Clostridium Infections / veterinary*
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Hemoglobinuria / drug therapy
  • Hemoglobinuria / microbiology
  • Hemoglobinuria / urine
  • Hemoglobinuria / veterinary*
  • Japan
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • DNA, Bacterial