Sporadic bovine encephalomyelitis

SPORADIC BOVINE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS

  • Caused by Chlamydia psittaci
  • Young calves and rarely old cattle affected

Clinical signs

  • Sudden onset
  • Fever 105-107 o F
  • Anorexia, depression, excessive salivation, nasal discharge
  • Dyspnoea, cough
  • Diarrhoea
  • Difficulty in walking, Stiffness of fetlock
  • Circling, staggering, fall with head extended
  • Paralysis
  • Death within 5 – 7 days

Gross lesions

  • Serofibrinous peritonitis
  • Fibrinous exudate over omentum, liver, spleen, pleura
  • Oedema of brain and spinal card

Microscopical lesions

  • Fibrinous peritonitis, pericarditis
  • Severe meningo – encephalomyelitis
  • Elementary bodies-Levinthal-Colle-Lillie bodies (LCL bodies)are seen in mononuclear cells in serosal exudate
  • and in brain and spinal card

Diagnosis
Last modified: Thursday, 22 March 2012, 5:23 AM