157. Diseases of ruminants caused by campylobacters.

Question 1

Aetiology?

Answer 1

Aetiology:

• Mid-sized, Gr(-), rods, curved, flagellated, fastidious
• Habitat: widespread, MM of mammals and birds (gut/intestinal tract, genital tract), cannot propagate outside
• host, only on MM surface
• Culture: high quality medium (blood agar)
• unable to split glucose (must replace glucose with pyruvic acid as a carbon source)
• microaerophil bacteria (cannot 21% O2, anaerobic is also not appropriate, need 4-10% O2),
• capophilic (need 10% CO2)
• Resistance: weak, cannot tolerate dry environment, survive max several days in dry environment, die in heat (during pasturization, >60 C) can’t tolerate disinfection

Question 2

Campylobacter species?

Answer 2

C. fetus ssp fetus (wide range)

C. fetus ssp venerealis (Bo)

C. jejuni/C. coli

C. hepaticus

C. lari (Avian)

C. mucosalis, C. hyointestinalis, C.

hyoilei: saprophytic, swine GI tract

Question 3

Helicobacter species?

Answer 3

• H. pyloris
• H. felis
• H. canis

Question 4

Arcobacter species?

Answer 4

• A. cryaerophilus
• A. skirrowi
• A. butzleri

Question 5

Occurence aetiology and epidemiology of bovine campylobacter?

Answer 5

Occurrence:

• worldwide, sporadic, beef cattle
• (usually bulls are carrier still have natural mating, usually not in dairy cattle
• strong AB in semen used for AI in dairy cattle)

Aetiology:

• C. fetus ssp venerealis affects ONLY Bovine
• o Sometimes C. fetus ssp fetus, C. jejuni, C. coli can cause abortion as well

Epidemiology:

• Infected bulls maintain (asymptomatic carrier/shedders)
• Only venereal spreading (present on MM of genital tract) and iatrogenic (vet!)

Question 6

Pathogenesis of campylobacter in ruminants?

Answer 6

Pathogenesis:

• Bull:
• asymptomatic carriage in prepuce, penis, urethra
• young bulls are shorter carriage, older bulls are longer time
• Cow:Ascending infection
• Purulent infection of vagina, metritis, salpingitis: mucopurulent endometritis, abortion, longer
• luteal phase, infertility
• Local immunity in the uterus: the agent will be eliminated from the uterus within 3-6 months,
• or carriage in the vagina for longer or shortertime

Question 7

Clinical signs, Pathology and diagnosis of Bovine campylobacter?

Answer 7

Clinical signs

• Bull: asymptomatic, semen quality doesnt change
• Cows, heifer: vaginitis, vaginal discharge (mucopurulent endometritis, insemination rate increased, repeatbreeder)
• abortion (with RFM)

Pathology:

• Placenta: fibrinous placentitis, necrosis
• fetus: precipitation of fibrin in body cavities,
• fibrin on the lungs/liver -
• fibrinous perihepatitis/pleuritis

Diagnosis:

• Epidemiology, clinical signs (abortion), PM lesions (fibrinous perihepatitis/pleuritis)
• Detection of agent: impression smear, culture isolation (blood agar with pyruvic acid, CO2, 4-6% O2), PCR
• Detection of antibodies: agglutination, ELISA, immunoblot
• herd level diagnosis

Question 8

Differential diagnosis treatment and prevention of bovine campylobacter?

Answer 8

Differential diagnosis:

• leptospirosis (detection in kidney, liver, serological tests),
• chlamydiosis (staining, PCR),
• Q-fever
• (see hemorrhages in fetal membrane),
• mycoplasmosis, listeriosis, trichomonas

Treatment:

• Cows, heifers: disinfection and AB of the uterus
• Bulls: AB - erythromycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, exclusion from breeding - bacteriological control

Prevention, control:

• closed herd,
• AI with semen of Campylobacter-free bulls
• Vaccine: inactivated - heifers, bulls - 2X and yearly

Question 9

Occurence aetiology and epidemiology of campylobacter of sheep amd goats?

Answer 9

Occurrence: ​

• sporadic,
• widespread,
• worldwide

Aetiology:

• C. fetus ssp fetus (75%), C. jejuni (25%)

Epidemiology:

• agents are present in gut flora (facultative!),
• mixing flocks can predispose,
• young ewes are more susceptible

Question 10

Abortion of sheep and goat caused by campylobacter Pathogenesis?

Answer 10

Pathogenesis:

• Infection PO (contaminated feed and water),
• venereal (mate/contaminated utensil)
• asymptomatic carriage in gut
• in pregnant animals, can enter blood and generalise (fetus will abort)
• asymptomatic carriage
• gut, prepuce, semen
• Venereal infection
• ascending infection
• In most cases: male and female are asymptomatic, but sometimes causes abortion

Question 11

Clinical signs, pathology and diagnosis of camplobacter of sheep and goat?

Answer 11

Clinical signs

• Ewe: abortion (in the final phase of pregnancy), produce weak, nonviable lambs are delivered or stillbirth,
• sometimes metritis, infertility
• Ram, buck: asymptomatic

Pathology:

• placentitis, fetus (edema, reddish fluid in the body cavities, focal necrosis 1-2 cm diameter in the liver -
• very characteristic)

Diagnosis:

• Epidemiology, clinical signs, PM lesions
• Detection of agent: smear, staining, bacterium culture
• Serological examination: agglutination
• (better Atb response compared to Bovine), CFT, ELISA from blood serum

Question 12

Treatment and prevention of camplobacter of sheep and goats?

Answer 12

Treatment:

• after AB treatment - can still shed (not sure if killed all the bacteria), but can reduce shedding
• Aborted ewes: isolation, disinfection and AB of uterus
• Pregnant ewes: AB (penicillin + streptomycin, tetracycline)
• Ram, bucks: AB

Prevention:

• AI,
• isolated farrowing of young ewes (they’re more susceptible)
• vaccine(inactivated, vaccination at insemination or mating 2X)