Septicaemia, encephalitis and abortions in a housed flock of sheep caused by Listeria monocytogenes type 1/2.

Abstract

One hundred and ninety-six housed pregnant ewes were fed poor quality silage for two days. Ewes are reluctant to eat the silage and within 48 hours they became dull and developed diarrhoea and lameness. Despite treatment with antibiotics and calcium borogluconate 19 ewes died, more than 60 developed vaginal discharges and at lambing 94 ewes were barren. Six developed nervous signs and two of these died, one with lesions typical of listeric encephalitis. Post mortem lesions and the isolation of Listeria monocytogenes type 1/2 from lung, liver, spleen and kidney are described. L monocytogenes was also isolated from blood samples from live ewes. The estimated gross financial loss to the farmer was 5130 pounds or, for the flock, 26 pounds per ewe.

• Authors: J C Low, C P Renton
• Journal: The Veterinary record (Vet Rec) Vol. 116 Issue 6 Pg. 147-50 (Feb 09 1985) ISSN: 0042-4900 [Print] England
• PMID: 3920813 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Oxytetracycline

Topics

• Abortion, Veterinary (etiology)
• Animal Feed (analysis)
• Animals
• Encephalitis (etiology, veterinary)
• Female
• Listeria monocytogenes (isolation & purification)
• Listeriosis (blood, complications, drug therapy, microbiology, pathology)
• Oxytetracycline (therapeutic use)
• Pregnancy
• Sepsis (drug therapy, etiology, veterinary)
• Sheep
• Sheep Diseases (blood, drug therapy, microbiology, pathology)