bovis - Articles
Udder impetigo
Synonym(s): staph, staphylococcus aureus, teat
Introduction
- Cause: Staphylococcus aureus.
- Signs: udder impetigo lesions are most often seen on the hairless skin at the teat base,which appear as small circular, brown crusted pustules (2-4 mm in diameter). Some lesions extend into the subcutaneous tissues and appear as ulcers and boils.
- Diagnosis: definitive diagnosis based on cytology and/or culture.
- Treatment: topical treatment with chlorhexidine.
- Prognosis: good.
Geographic incidence
- Worldwide occurance.
Age predisposition
- Generally, occurs in adult milking animals.
Public health considerations
- The Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus spp bacterium is capable of spreading to humans, particularly the hands as they are often in direct contact with the affected skin of cattle.
Cost considerations
- Implementation of an appropriate sanitation procedure.
- Treatment of severely affected animal with topical therapies.
- Implementation of a vaccination program.
Special risks
- Mixing of cattle from different properties of origin.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus spp infection of the hairless skin of the teat base.
Predisposing factors
General
- Stress.
- Unhygienic housing.
- Wet environment.
- Trauma to the udder.
Specific
- Affected cows in the herd.
- Mechanical spread - usually spread at milking (via milking apparatuses as well and human hands).
- Mixing cattle from different properties of origins.
Pathophysiology
- A breach of the integument (through trauma or immune suppression), which allows a bacterium of the normal skin flora to penetrate the epidermis.
- This results in an inflammatory reaction and the formation of a vesicle that ruptures to form a pustule and eventually a scab.
Timecourse
- Can spread through a herd to affect a high proportion over a long period of time.
Epidemiology
- Can affect a large number of cows in the herd.
- Usually spreads slowly through the herd.
Diagnosis
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Treatment
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Prevention
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed Papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Foster A P (2012) Staphylococcal skin disease in livestock. Vet Dermatol, 342-363 PubMed.
Other sources of information
- Haskell R R (2011) Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Ruminant. John Wiley & Sons, pp 283, 297.
- Parkinson T J, Vermunt J J & Malmo J (2010) Diseases of Cattle in Australasia: A Comprehensive Textbook. In: New Zealand Veterinary Association Foundation for Continuing Education. pp 580-581.
- Otto M et al (2006) Veterinary Medicine: A Textbook of the Diseases of Cattle, Horses, Sheep, Pigs and Goats. Elsevier Health Sciences. pp 751.