11 Ruminant Neurologic Disease III: Bacterial Neurological Diseases of Ruminants

Listeriosis (circling disease)

This is acute meningoencephalitis of ruminants characterized by circling and cranial nerve deficits

Listeria monocytogenes

What is the causative agent of Listeriosis?

POSITIVE, anaerobe

Is Listeria gram positive or negative? Aerobic or anaerobic?

CAUDAL

Which cranial nerves does Listeriosis typically affect, the *cranial ones* (I-IV) or the *caudal ones* (V-XII)?

Listeriosis

A cow has proprioceptive deficits, head-pressing, has depressed consciousness though not aggressive, and has constant sporadic walking or circling. Thoughts?

Ingesting improper silage storage

How do cows get listeriosis?

Listeriosis

This cow presented for dropped jaw and facial anesthesia. There is ptosis (drooping upper eyelid), absent palpebral reflex, dropped ear, loss of levator nasolabialis muscle and decreased lip tone. There is nystagmus and a slight head tilt. The farmer is concerned because the cow has been circling nonstop. Thoughts?

Listeriosis

This cow presented for sterterous breathing, dysphagia, and paresis of the tongue. The cow also has nystagmus and head tilt and circles nonstop to the right. Thoughts?

Listeriosis

This cow has a head tilt, corneal edema, decreased lip tone, loss of the levator nasolabialis muscle function, has depressed consciousness and the owner says the cow will sporadically walk and circle. Thoughts?

CSF analysis = mononuclear pleocytosis

What is the biggest diagnostic indicator for listeriosis? What will you see?

FALSE = usually NOT

TRUE OR FALSE: listeriosis commonly presents with an inflammatory leukogram

d. Baytril (enrofloxacine)

e. Sulfadimethoxine = cannot use on LACTATING DAIRY CATTLE

f. Naxcel/Excede (ceftiofur antibiotic)

Of the following, which would be ILLEGAL TO USE for listeriosis treatment in cattle?

a. draxxin (tulathromycin)

b. penicillin (PPG)

c. La-200 (oxytetracycline)

d. Baytril (enrofloxacine)

e. Sulfadimethoxine

f. Naxcel/Excede (ceftiofur antibiotic)

Hallmark is excessive salivation and may have impaired swallowing = bicarbonate loss = need fluids to make it up

Why should you give cows with listeriosis IV, oral, or enteral fluids for treatment?

Listeriosis

Oxytetracycline, Procaine Penicillin G, and Potassium Penicillin are the best treatments for WHAT problem in cattle?

Hematogenous or ascension of cranial nerve

What is the spread like for listeriosis in cattle?

a. silage and rotting vegetation

b. shed in feces

d. survives in soil

Select the following sources for listeriosis in cattle:

a. silage and rotting vegetation

b. shed in feces

c. bite from another cow

d. survives in soil

e. entrance via respiratory system

f. failure of passive transfer

NO

Does listeriosis have a vaccine?

Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME)

This is a neurologic disease of mainly feedlot cattle, characterized by sleep-like depression or somnolence and death

Histophilus somni aka Haemophilus somnus

What is the causative agent of Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME)?

Gram NEGATIVE coccobacillus

Is Histophilus somni aka Haemophilus somnus a *gram positive* or *gram negative* bacteria? Shape?

Bovine mucosa (respiratory tract)

Where does Histophilus somni aka Haemophilus somnus reside?

Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME)

This problem in cattle has an acute onset with anorexia, staggering fever, depression, *blindness*, paralysis, tonic/clonic seizures, and partial paralysis of multiple cranial nerves

TRUE

TRUE OR FALSE: Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME) commonly present with an inflammatory leukogram

2 hours

How soon might death happen after infection with Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME)?

Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME)

note: inflammatory leukogram because remember these are caused by bacteria H. somni --> feedlot cattle neurologic disease of bacteria causing blood clots in the brain = seizures, stiffness, downer, etc.

On CSF, this disease is neutrophilic, has high RBC and protein count with xanthochromia (yellow color change). CBC shows an inflammatory leukogram

WHAT HAPPENED: Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME)

DIFFERENTIALS: polioencephalopathy, lead poisoning, water intoxication

In life, this cow had acute onset blindness, paralysis, tonic-clonic seizures and anorexia with depression. Post mortem shows CNS vasculitis, infarction, and abscess formation. What happened and what are other differentials?

Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME)

Oxytetracycline, florfenicol and tulathromycin along with fluid and electrolyes as supportive therapy are used to fix what problem in cattle?

If standing: fair to good

If downer: poor

What is the prognosis like for Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME)?

Winter

*Winter* or *summer* is the most common time to get Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME)?

Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME)

This problem enters thru the respiratory system, goes in blood, causes thrombosis in small vessels in the brain leading to infected endothelial cell degeneration, ultimately triggering *blood clotting cascade and thrombosis*

It is a disease with low morbidity, so you have to consider cost to farmer

Bovine thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TEM) and Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME) has a vaccine. But what do you have to consider?

Failure of passive immunity in a calf

Ultimately, what causes bacterial meningitis in cattle?

Bacterial meningitis

This calf presented with depression, diarrhea, navel ill, arthritis, sinusitis, and hyperesthesia. Spinal reflexes were normal. The farmer said the cow didn't suckle as much as it should have from the mother. Thoughts?

bacterial meningitis

This cow was depressed with a fever, had hyperesthesia (slight tactile stimulation caused sudden extension in limbs), seizures, blindness. CSF showed neutrophilic pleocytosis and the pandy test to show globulins in the CSF was strongly positive. Thoughts?

CSF tap = neutrophilic pleocytosis, inc. protein, turbid/white foamy CSF

What is the BEST TEST for bacterial meningitis diagnosis?

Pandy test

What test can you use for bacterial meningitis, which determines if there are globulins in the CSF?

Gram negative (ceftiofur recommended)

To treat bacterial meningitis, broad spectrum antibiotics to *gram negative* or *gram positive* bacteria are often preferred

Bacteriocidal

To treat bacterial meningitis, *bacteriocidal* or *bacteriostatic* drugs are often preferred

Failure of passive transfer and navel ill

What is the most common history with bacterial meningitis calves?

Gram negative

Bacterial meningitis is normally caused by *gram positive* or *gram negative* bacteria

Fair to poor (case fatality rate is high, but early recognition often successful)

What is the prognosis like for bacterial meningitis?

Bacterial meningitis

This problem has a hematogenous route of infection or direct inoculation, often from things like skull fractures, otitis, sinusitis, or dehorning injuries

Navel ill = bacteria can get directly to blood supply

What is the most common place calves are infected with bacterial meningitis?

a. mostly mononuclear cells

A CSF tap of a listeriosis case would most likely present as:

a. mostly mononuclear cells

b. mostly neutrophils

c. normal

b. Listeriosis

If we get to her fast and treat aggressively enough = yes

You are presented with a 10 month old Holstein heifer with acute onset of head pressing, depression, anorexia, and occasional circling. The most likely disease is:

a. BSE

b. Listeriosis

c. TEME

d. IBR

Does this heifer have a good change of recovery?

b. equine

The species resistant to pseudorabies is:

a. canine

b. equine

c. ovine

d. 4 quarts

What is the minimum amount of beef cow colostrum necessary to insure adequate passive transfer in a beef calf:

a. 1 quart

b. 2 quarts

c. 3 quarts

d. 4 quarts

d. none of the above

The ruminant waste product that is still legal to feed to cattle is:

a. blood meal

b. bone meal

c. meat meal

d. none of the above