Content
Clostridiosis in cattle is an infectious disease caused by the anaerobic bacterium clostridium. The disease occurs in an acute form and often leads to the death of cattle. The causative agents of clostridiosis live in soil, water, and manure. Clostridia spores can exist in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy cows without manifesting themselves for a long time. The bacterium that causes clostridiosis is divided into 2 main types: those causing mechanical damage or toxic effects on cattle.
What is clostridiosis
Clostridium perfringens bacterium
Clostridiosis in cattle is transmitted by the oral-fecal route, or through wounds on the skin of the animal. Clostridia causes tetanus, emkar, botulism, enterotoxemia and a number of other diseases. The pathogen is resistant to negative manifestations of the external environment and retains the ability to reproduce in the absence of oxygen, high or low air temperature, humidity, and tolerates many disinfectants. The clostridia spore is resistant to frost and heat because it is covered with a durable shell that protects it from the effects of the external environment.
Characteristics of the pathogen:
- rod-shaped;
- Gram stained;
- forms spores;
- releases toxins.
The bacterium releases toxins after entering the body of cattle, affecting the gastrointestinal tract, muscle tissue, kidneys, and nervous system.
The most common type of clostridia is Cl. Perfringens, which have several types: A, B, C, D and E. Each of them causes diseases with specific clinical signs.
Clostridiosis is dangerous for calves and adult cattle
Type A produces a toxin of low activity, so animal mortality does not exceed 25%. Clostridia type B can produce all types of toxins, but they are most dangerous for newborn calves, the mortality rate of which reaches 90%. This type of lesion is characterized by hemorrhagic inflammation with ulcers. Type C is dangerous for young cattle, but sometimes affects adults as well.
Identifying toxins can be difficult and more research is required. Type D differs from the others in that it produces a weakly active toxin, which, under the influence of certain enzymes in the digestive tract, becomes quite dangerous, especially for calves. Type E is the causative agent of enterotoxemia. Activated by enzymes and subsequently quickly destroyed.
Also widespread is Cl. Tetani, which is the causative agent of tetanus in cattle, and Cl. Sordellii, causing gas gangrene, edema.
Causes of clostridiosis in cattle
Clostridia live mainly in anoxic conditions, with the exception of some species. The favorable habitat for pathogens is soil and water, and for reproduction they require high humidity and the absence of oxygen. The main causes of clostridiosis infection in cattle are:
- low quality feed;
- contaminated soil and water in grazing areas and in the barn;
- unsanitary conditions for keeping animals;
- high humidity.
Pathogens of clostridiosis
Bacteria are divided according to the method of penetration of the pathogen into the body of cattle into feed bacteria, which provoke enterotoxemia, botulism, bradzot, and wound bacteria, which cause tetanus, emkar, and edema. Infections caused by injuries and wounds occur much less frequently than alimentary ones, but are characterized by a high percentage of cattle mortality. Clostridia enter the external environment with feces and other secretions of infected animals.
Symptoms of the disease
Clinical manifestations of clostridiosis directly depend on the type of pathogen and the method of entry into the body of cattle. However, in almost all cases there is severe intoxication of the body, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system. As a rule, all animals suffer from cramps, swelling, and diarrhea.
Considering the symptoms of clostridiosis in cattle in more detail, we establish:
- With botulism in cattle, the body temperature does not rise, exhaustion and indomitable diarrhea are observed. The cow chews the food for a long time, while the food bolus does not move through the esophagus, and the drunk water flows out of the nostrils.
- With tetanus, the body temperature of cattle is kept within normal limits, convulsions are observed, muscles become hard, paralysis and increased sweating are possible. Various pathologies also appear in the digestive system. The general condition of the animal is excited.
- Malignant edema of cattle is characterized by the accumulation of exudate in the subcutaneous tissue, which leads to edema. With this pathology, the general condition of the individual is depressed, appetite is reduced, breathing and pulse become rapid. A sick animal dies within the next 5 days.
- Emkar is characterized by a significant increase in the body temperature of cattle, lameness, unsteadiness when moving, and swelling that crunches when the animals are palpated.When the affected area is opened, a cloudy exudate is released. In addition, there is a decrease in appetite, difficulty breathing, and increased heart rate. The animal is weakened.
- Enterotoxemia is accompanied by a significant increase in body temperature, imbalance during movement, and muscle cramps. The disease most often affects young cattle. Animals experience decreased appetite, lethargy, and excretion of brown feces mixed with blood.
Infected cattle
Diagnostics
The diagnosis of clostridiosis is made on the basis of a visual examination of an infected individual cattle, clarification of the conditions of detention and feeding ration.
Additionally, laboratory diagnostic methods are carried out:
- ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay);
- cytotoxic test;
- blood analysis;
- analysis of vomit and feces.
Sometimes intestinal endoscopy is performed, which reveals plaques on the mucous membrane characteristic of infectious colitis. For some types of diseases caused by clostridia, pieces of affected organs or muscles, the contents of wounds, and food are examined for microbiological testing and identification of the toxin.
Treatment of clostridiosis in cattle
Therapy for any infectious diseases, including clostridiosis, should begin with isolating sick cattle from the rest of the herd and creating good feeding and housing conditions for them.
Treatment of clostridiosis will depend on correct diagnosis of the disease. In case of botulism in the initial stages of the disease, you need to do a gastric lavage with a soda solution. Saline sodium chloride solution is administered intravenously 2 times a day.If the body of an animal suffering from clostridiosis is severely depleted, a 40% glucose solution is prescribed, and caffeine is used to stimulate cardiac activity. If the diagnosis of clostridiosis is made early in the disease, administration of anti-botulinum serum will be effective.
Having identified tetanus at the initial stage, it is necessary to administer the antitoxin in a certain dose. Also used are drugs that alleviate the condition of cattle - chloral hydrate, laxatives and sedatives.
Treatment of malignant edema due to clostridiosis will require surgery to open the tumor and provide oxygen access. An open wound should be treated with hydrogen peroxide or another disinfectant. Norsulfazole, chloracid, and penicillin are administered intramuscularly to cattle. Caffeine, isotonic sodium chloride solution, and camphor serum are also used intravenously.
Serum against clostridiosis
A good therapeutic effect for clostridiosis is provided by the use of antitoxic serum at the initial stage of anaerobic enterotoxemia. It is combined with antibiotics and sulfonamide drugs. In addition to these remedies, therapy of the digestive organs is prescribed.
Because emkar develops rapidly, it is sometimes impossible to begin therapy quickly. Among cattle medications, tetracycline, penicillin, amoxicillin and other antibiotics are prescribed. Surgical assistance will be required to remove dead tissue, followed by rinsing with disinfectant solutions and installing drainage.
Preventive actions
If cases of emphysematous carbuncle occur in a herd, restrictive measures are imposed.Regrouping of livestock within the farm, import and export of cattle, transportation and driving of animals through the unfavorable zone are prohibited.
All cows infected with clostridiosis should be immediately isolated and treated. Cowsheds and adjacent areas must be disinfected, manure and equipment must be treated, and feed must be checked for the presence of the causative agent of clostridiosis. Other measures to prevent pathology include:
- feeding cattle only with high-quality food;
- fresh drinking water from proven, safe sources;
- daily cleaning of premises and their regular disinfection;
- compliance with sanitary standards when carrying out veterinary activities;
- timely disinfection of wound surfaces in cattle;
- hoof treatment;
- grazing livestock on clean soils.
In addition to these preventive measures against clostridiosis, cattle livestock should be vaccinated on time. The drug is made from certain strains of bacteria with the addition of aluminum oxide hydrate. It is a gray solution. Cattle up to 45 days of age are subject to vaccination. It is injected subcutaneously into the back third of the neck of the cattle, twice with an interval of 21-28 days. Immunity against clostridiosis is formed 3 weeks after the second injection of the vaccine and lasts for a year.
Conclusion
Clostridiosis in cattle is a complex infectious disease caused by spore-forming bacteria. Diseases caused by clostridia can be treated with medication, but they must be detected and treated in time. Like other infectious diseases, clostridiosis is easier to prevent than to treat.Preventive measures against this disease are based on high-quality housing and proper feeding of livestock, as well as timely vaccination of livestock.
