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Hemorrhagic septicemia
Synonym(s): haemorrhagic septicaemia Pasteurella multocida peracute sepsis
Introduction
- Cause: hemorrhagic septicemia is a highly fatal, hemorrhagic disease of cattle and buffalo caused by Pasteurella multocida types 6:B and 6:E.
- Signs: dullness, lethargy, pyrexia, recumbency, hypersalivation, pharyngeal edema (which spreads to the cervical and brisket regions), congested mucus membranes, tachypnea, respiratory distress and death usually within 6 hours of the onset of clinical disease.
- Diagnosis: clinical and post mortem findings consistent with disease. Isolation of the agent from blood or bone marrow of a dead animal (PCR). Gram or methylene blue stained blood smears reveal gram negative bacilli. Serology showing a rising titre in recovered animals is highly suggestive.
- Treatment: penicillin, ampicillin or oxytetracycline at label dose rates.
- Prognosis: poor. The majority of animals will die once clinical signs have developed and unless antimicrobial therapy is instigated early in the disease process.
Geographic incidence
- Hemorrhagic septicemia occurs in Asia, Africa, Southern Europe and the Middle East.
Age predisposition
- In endemic regions most mortality occurs in older calves and younger adults.
Public health considerations
- None.
Cost considerations
- Mortality occurs in the majority of cases, unless antimicrobial therapy is instigated early in the disease process.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- Pasteurella multocida types 6:B and 6:E Pasteurella multocida.
Predisposing factors
General
- Close contact with infected or carrier animals.
- Monsoon or wet season.
Pathophysiology
- Unlike other Pasteurella species which serve as secondary, opportunistic invaders, hemorrhagic septicemia is a primary pathogen.
- After initial replication in the tonsils, bacteria soon multiply throughout the animal.
- The presence of outer membrane lipopolysaccharides help the organism evade phagocytosis.
- Recovered animals may remain as carriers and serve as a reservoir of infection.
Timecourse
- 3 – 5 days with a clinical duration of less than 72 hours.
Epidemiology
- After a disease outbreak surviving animals may become latent, asymptomatic carries of infection.
- Herd immunity is high and so no fresh cases occur.
- However, following the contact of naïve animals, for example, after animal movements, or the birth of new naïve animals, further disease outbreaks may occur.
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.
Other sources of information
- OIE technical disease cards (2013) Haemorrhagic septicaemia. pp 1 -
- Brown C & Torres A (2008) USAHA Foreign animal diseases. In: Committee of foreign and emerging diseases of the US animal health association. 7th edn. BOCA publications. pp 297-301.
- De Alwis M C L (1999) Haemorrhagic septicaemia. Aciar monograph. 5.