Blackleg (disease)
Blackleg, black quarter, quarter evil, quarter ill (Latin: Gangraena emphysematosa) is an infectious bacterial disease most commonly caused by Clostridium chauvoei, a Gram-positive bacterial species. It is seen in livestock all over the world, usually affecting cattle, sheep and goats. It has been seen occasionally in farmed bison and deer. [1] The acute nature of the disease makes successful treatment difficult, but there is an effective vaccine available to provide animals with protective immunity.
Causative agent
Blackleg is most commonly caused by Clostridium chauvoei, but Clostridium feseri and other Clostridial species can be isolated from some lesions. C. chauvoei are Gram-positive, rod-shaped, anaerobic, and motile bacteria that can produce environmentally-persistent spores when conditions are not ideal for growth. These spores can remain in the soil for years in an inactive state, and return to their infectious form when consumed by grazing livestock. Contaminated pasture is a predominant source of these organisms, which are also found naturally in the intestines of animals. [2] Cases can occur over many years in areas where there is soil or manure contamination with the bacteria, and it is exceedingly difficult to remove the spores from the environment.
C. chauvoei produce a large amount of gas as a metabolic by-product when growing and reproducing, hence the alternate infection name gas gangrene, present in humans. [3] This gas builds up in infected tissue, usually large muscles, and causes the tissue to make a crackling or popping sound when pressed. Large gas-filled blisters can also form, which can be extremely painful as they build up in the tissues.
Clinical presentations
When infection begins, the animal may develop a fever, and the affected limb can feel hot to touch. The limb usually swells significantly, and the animal can develop lameness on the affected leg. Crepitation, or the sensation of air under the skin, can be noticed in many infections as the area seems to crackle under pressure. [4] Once clinical signs develop, the animal may only live a short while, sometimes as little as 12 hours. Occasionally, cattle will succumb to the disease without showing any symptoms at all, and only a post-mortem reveals the cause. During a necropsy, a diagnosis is usually made very quickly, as the affected muscle is generally mottled with black patches. These patches represent dead tissue, killed by the toxins that the bacteria release when they infect a live tissue. If viewed under a microscope, small rod-like bacteria can be visualized to confirm the diagnosis.
Vaccination and prevention
The use of a 7-way clostridial vaccination is the most common, cheapest, and efficacious preventative measure taken against Blackleg. Burning the upper layer of soil to eradicate left-over spores is the best way to stop the spread of blackleg from diseased cattle. Diseased cattle should be isolated. Treatment is generally unrewarding due to the rapid progression of the disease, however penicillin is the drug of choice for treatment. Treatment is only effective in the early stages and as a control measure.
See also
References
- ^ Mackintosh C, Haigh JC, Griffin F. Bacterial diseases of farmed deer and bison. Rev Sci Tech. 2002 (2):249-63.
- ^ Clostridial diseases: Blackleg. The Merck Veterinary Manual. Available from http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/50704.htm Retrieved 2012-03-20.
- ^ Nagano N, Isomine S, Kato H, Sasaki Y, Takahashi M, Sakaida K, Nagano Y, and Arakawa Y. Human Fulminant Gas Gangrene Caused by Clostridium chauvoei. J Clin Microbiol.; 46(4): 1545–1547.
- ^ Irsik, M.B. Blackleg in cattle. University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Available from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vm120. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
External links
- Blackleg and Other Clostridial Diseases
- Blackleg - Cattle.com
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