A herd level analysis of a Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis outbreak in a dairy cattle herd

Vet Dermatol. 2004 Oct;15(5):315-20. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3164.2004.00388.x.

Abstract

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in an Israeli dairy cattle herd is described. The disease was characterized by ulcerative granulomatous lesions, which occurred in an epidemic form. Thirty-two cows and two heifers were affected, the ratio of the number affected to number at risk being 17.5 : 1 and 9.5 : 1, respectively. The culling rate was 50% of the affected animals. Most of the affected animals were cows (91.2%), with one first-calving cow (2.9%) and two heifers (5.9%) also affected. The infection occurred during the summer to autumn months (August-December), and lasted 118 days. The incubation period is about 2 months. The disease appeared in two clinical forms - cutaneous and mastitic - or as a mixed form. C. pseudotuberculosis organisms that were isolated from the ulcerative granulomatous lesions and from milk samples failed to reduce nitrate. A decrease in milk production (4%) and an increase in the bulk-milk somatic cell count from a herd mean of 240 x 10(3) mL(-1) to 460 x 10(3) mL(-1) were noted during the morbidity period. The organism was isolated from milk samples of eight animals (25%). Clinical, epizootiological and microbiological aspects of the infection are described.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Cattle Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Cattle Diseases / etiology
  • Cattle Diseases / microbiology
  • Cattle Diseases / pathology
  • Corynebacterium Infections / epidemiology
  • Corynebacterium Infections / veterinary*
  • Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Dairying
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary*
  • Female
  • Israel / epidemiology