Bovine salmonellosis

The salmonellosis of cattle is a by salmonella caused bacterial infectious disease in cattle . It is the only salmonellosis in animals that is one of the notifiable animal diseases in Germany .

Etiology and pathogenesis

Bovine salmonellosis is caused by various types of salmonella. Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella dublin are observed most frequently . While S. typhimurium occurs in all mammals , S. dublin is more cattle-specific.

In acute bovine salmonellosis, the pathogen is excreted in large numbers in the faeces , urine , lochia and milk , but only sporadically and in smaller amounts in the faeces of subclinically ill animals or permanent excretors.

The infection is done by oral receiving contaminated feed or water. The pathogen colonizes the intestine , liver and gall bladder as well as the lymph nodes of the intestine and liver. Under certain circumstances, an illness can only become clinically manifest through factors such as stress, liver fluke infestation , pregnancy , childbirth or other infectious diseases that reduce the body's immune system. Animals that survive the disease mostly remain permanent shedders.

Clinical picture

Bovine salmonellosis occurs mostly as a single animal disease in contaminated herds. It can occur in three forms .

The peracute ( septicemic ) form is characterized by high fever , apathy and unwillingness to eat and leads to death within a day.

The acute form is characterized by a high fever and severe diarrhea with blood and fibrin . It ends fatally after about a week due to increasing disintegration of forces.

Chronic bovine salmonellosis are also rarely observed. Here diarrhea, miscarriages , inflammation of the joints , tendon sheath or udder can occur.

Salmonellosis in calves is caused by the same pathogens and occurs mainly in the 2nd to 6th week of life. It can occur peracute as in adult cattle, but only ends fatally in around a quarter of cases, or is milder. In the latter case there is only moderate fever, reluctance to eat and apathy. The disease heals in calves after about two weeks, but the animals usually remain permanent excretors.

diagnosis

The suspected clinical diagnosis must be confirmed by a bacteriological examination (BU). In the case of slaughtering animals suspected of being salmonella, the meat inspection law also requires a BU. Serological tests can be used for the renovation of existing buildings.

In the differential diagnosis , bovine viral diarrhea , paratuberculosis , coccidiosis and nematode infestation must be taken into account.

Combat

Salmonellosis can be treated with antibiotics , but the animals mostly remain excretors. The cattle salmonellosis regulation applies to control in Germany. Since a rehabilitation of the stocks is sought in Germany, the animal disease is notifiable and an attempt is made to achieve freedom from salmonellosis by culling sick animals.

Literature and Sources

• A. Mayr (Ed.): Medical microbiology, infection and epidemic theory. 6th edition. Enke Verlag, Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-432-84686-X , pp. 608-611.

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !