Botulism in dairy cattle herd Текст научной статьи по специальности «Биологические науки»

Jan Marczuk, Lukasz Kurek, Krzysztof Lutnicki ©

Department of Internal Medicine of Farm Animals and Horses Chair and Clinic of Internal Medicine University of Life Sciences in Lublin ul. Glqboka 30 20 - 612 Lublin, Poland e-mail: doktorjm@o2.pl

BOTULISM IN DAIRY CATTLE HERD Abstract

Neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum cause botulism - a fatal disease of humans and animals, among which the ruminants and horses are most sensitive. Botulism can arise from preformed toxin, wound infection or intestinal toxico-infection. Among the great amount of exotoxins which are produced by Cl. botulinum only the A, B, C and D types are responsible for cattle morbidity. In some countries cattle is routinely vaccinated against type C and D. Acute botulinum intoxication was observed in Holstein-Fresian dairy cow herd of 80 adult cows, 30 heifers (10 -12 months) and 15 calves, which were fed a TMR that consisted of haylage, maize silage, green forage. The group containing 15 heifers and 4 dry cows (15,2% of whole herd) showed botulism signs, confirmed by serologic tests ; no calves or cows in lactation were affected. Treatment was ineffective. There were hematological and biochemical analyses performed. The sick animals exhibited only the increase in polymorphonuclear granulocytes concentration (mean 58%), which correlated with increased plasma AST (mean 311,9 U/l), CPK (mean 2204,2 U/l) and total bilirubin (mean 8,54 ^mol/l) concentrations. Estimated plasma ion levels (Ca, P, Mg, Na, K) were normal, no significant changes were observed in comparison to healthy animals. There were high Cu (29,02 ^mol/l) ion levels and low Fe (10,9 ^.mol/l) concentrations in affected dry dairy cows.

Conclusions. There is a great body of evidence that lactating dairy cows are more resistant and did not develop clinical signs of botulism as easily as the other cattle. Despite the well expressed typical clinical signs of botulism in affected animals, estimated ions concentration of both calcium and sodium in plasma were not changed during the first period of illness in comparison to healthy ones. Obtained results and bibliographic data indicated that liver dysfunction and microbiological environment of rumen can play the role in pathogenesis of cattle botulism.

Introduction.

Botulinus toxin intoxication- evoked by neurotoxin originating from Clostridium botulinum- may concern all animals. The most susceptible are azygous ungulate (unpaired hoof animals), birds and ruminants.

© Jan Marczuk, Lukasz Kurek, Krzysztof Lutnicki, 2009 366

Clostridium botulinum is the Gram-plus, anaerobe, which can create spores. This bacterium excretes some strongly acting egzotoxins, which have antigenic properties. 8 species of this toxins have been definied: A,B, C1, C2, D, E, F and G, but only B,C and D ones evoke botulism in cattle, as well as very rarely A types, which additionally can promote psychomotor excitation. The animals are affected after the ingestion of fodder, contain the neurotoxins, or through the gut toxoinfection. Most cases of botulism in cattle are the consequence of ingestion of the fodder contaminated with botulinus toxin from decayed animal remains as well as consequence of bone ingestion (osteophagia) in course of phosphor deficiency in animals. Another risk factor is pasture fertilization using the bedding from hen-house, as well as drinking contaminated water from miscellaneous sources. Besides the risk factor is unsuitable colleting (harvesting) and storage of fodder, especially originated from high protein contend plants, which contained the spores in consequence of river inundations or spread with birds and cattle stools. In some countries cattle is routinely vaccinated against type C and D.

Material and methods:

Acute botulinum intoxication was observed in Holstein-Fresian (HF) dairy cow herd of 80 adult cows, which included 30 heifers (10 -12 months) and 15 calves in industrial breading. The animals were fed a TMR that consisted of haylage, maize silage, green forage, additionally for milk cows the concise fodder was prepared. The group containing 15 heifers and 4 dry cows (15,2% of whole herd) showed botulism signs, confirmed by serologic tests, first the heifers were affected. Next there were 4 dry cows affected and died within 48 hours, whereas no calves or cows in lactation were affected- only the minimizing of appetite was observed. Treatment was ineffective, so the remaining 9 heifers were undertaken to euthanasia. There were serological analyses performed, which confirmed the botulinum intoxication. One week after the appearances of first symptoms of the illness blood samples from affected animals were assessed (in 3 cows and 5 heifers)The source of fodder intoxication remains obscure. The hematological analyses were performed using the MS 9 analyzer. The biochemical analyses included the estimation of AST, CK, total blirubin concentration, creatinine concentration,Na, K, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mg ions, total Ca and Ca++, and inorganic P, were performed using the UV/VIS Marcel 330 photometer and atom absorption spectrophotometer Perkin Elmer - 4100.

Results

The sick animals exhibited only the increase in polymorphonuclear granulocytes concentration (mean 58%), which correlated with increased plasma AST (mean 311,9 U/l), CPK (mean 2204,2 U/l) and total bilirubin (mean 8,54 |imol/l) concentrations. Estimated plasma ion levels (Ca, P, Mg, Na, K) were normal, no significant changes were observed in comparison to healthy animals. There were high Cu (29,02 | mol/l) ion levels and low Fe (10,9 | mol/l) concentrations in affected dry dairy cows. All hematological and biochemical data were presented below in tables nr 1,2,3.

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Table 1.

Hematological values in affected cows.

WBC [x 106/L] RBC [x 1012/L] Hgb [g/L] Ht [%] Stab cell. [%] Neutr segm. [%] Eosin. [%] Limph . [%] Mon. [%]

dry cow 4,08 6,5 104 32 6 38 2 54 -

dry cow 7,08 7,34 126 35,2 6 34 3 55 2

dry cow 10,05 11,87 178 52,3 3 53 - 44 -

heifer 23,5 8,76 146 42,1 2 75 - 23 -

heifer 16,79 9,69 132 39,2 1 65 - 34 -

heifer 6,93 9,77 121 36,5 4 69 - 27 -

heifer 25,37 8,81 128 36,5 1 62 - 37 -

heifer 21,72 8,89 118 36,1 1 65 - 33 -

Reference range 4 - 10 5 - 8 80 -140 28 - 50 < 2 15 - 45 2 - 20 45 - 72 2 - 7

Table 2.

Enzymes activity and creatinine and total bilirubin concentration in plasma of

affected animals.

AST [U/L] CK [U/L] Bt [^mol/L] Creatinine [^mol/L]

dry cow 376,9 16,6 121,1

dry cow 243,5 9,9 110,5

dry cow 692,4 1 211 12,0 104,3

heifer 524,5 3 668 8,4 93,7

heifer 143,5 1 182 6,7 98,1

heifer 123,6 2 270 8,2 104,3

heifer 301,7 2 690 2,9 104,3

heifer 91,1 3,6 115,8

Reference range 30 - 100 56 - 410 1,9 - 7,0 88 - 183

Table 3.

ons concentration in plasma of affected animals

totalCa [mmol/L ] Ca 2+ [mmol/ L] P inorganic [mmol/L] total Mg [mmol/ L] Zn [^mol/ L] Cu [^mol/L] Fe [^mol/ L] Na [mmol/L ] K [mmol/L]

dry cow 2,21 1,21 2,2 1,11 9,18 33,2 13,10 150,0 5,0

dry cow 2,29 1,27 2,3 1,27 10,71 33,6 8,81 150,0 4,7

dry cow 2,32 1,15 2,3 1,11 15,0 33,3 25,63 147,0 5,7

heifer 2,22 1,34 1,8 1,07 17,93 29,0 49,76 147,0 3,6

heifer 2,61 1,34 1,8 0,90 24,72 26,7 31,36 149,0 4,6

heifer 2,29 1,24 1,9 1,11 21,24 22,5 37,95 139,0 4,4

heifer 2,45 1,40 2,1 1,15 18,85 29,9 37,23 142,0 4,1

heifer 2,40 1,30 2,2 1,29 21,11 24,0 29,93 141,0 4,2

Reference s range 2,3 - 2,9 1,15 -1,40 1,3 - 3,1 0,8 - 1,3 12 - 46 12 - 19 22 - 36 135 -156 3,8 - 5,1

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Discussion

The obtained results showed that 5 from 8 affected animals exhibited the increase in leukocytes count (10 050 - 25 370 /mm3), six of them exhibited high level of erythrocytes (8.76 - 11.87 mln/mm3), besides the Schilling picture in 3 dry cows was dislocated in left whereas 5 heifers exhibited lymphocytopenia with right dislocation of Schilling picture.All the sick animals were characterized by the high activity of AST (123 -692 U/l) as well as CPK and Cu concentration (22.5 - 33.6 mol/l).

The high concentration of total bilirubin (8.2 -16.6 mol/l) was observed in a half of sick animals and low concentration of Fe (8.81 and 13.1 mol/l) was estimated in 2 of dry cows. The inorganic P concentration and total Ca, Mg, Na, K Ca ions as well as creatinine concentration in plasma were normal.

The bibliographical data suggest that dairy cows are more resistant and usually do not exhibit the clinical signs in comparison with the rest of ruminants. Nevertheless the typical botulism signs which were observed in sick animals, the Na, K ions concentration in plasma in the first period of illness were unchanged in comparison with healthy ones. The obtained results and the papers of other authors suggest the pivotal role of liver insufficiency and rumen microenvironment disturbance in the pathogenesis of this disease.

Conclusions

1. There are no significant biochemical indicators in blood which can promote the susceptibility to botulism in heifers.

2. Rumen microenvironment plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of dairy cows.

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Стаття надшшла до редакцИ 16.04.2009

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