Volume 19 | Issue 1 Article 4

1957 A Review of Necrobacillosis Mell Wostoupal Iowa State College

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Recommended Citation Wostoupal, Mell (1957) "A Review of Necrobacillosis," Iowa State University Veterinarian: Vol. 19 : Iss. 1 , Article 4. Available at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastate_veterinarian/vol19/iss1/4

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NECROBACILLOSIS

Mell Wostoupal

ecrobacillosjs is an infectious disease ETIOLOLGY N caused by Spherophorus necrop­ Spherophorus (Actinomyces) necrop­ horus, occurring in most animals as a horus is a slender, non--motile, gram neg­ secondary invader and characterized by ative organism varying from coccoid cells sharply defined areas of liquefaction ne­ to slender filaments. The bacillus is sen­ crosis having hyperemic and hemorrha­ sitive to oxygen and under usual condi­ gic borders. tions does not grow unless good anaero­ The term includes several disease en­ bic conditions are obtained. In many tities which may be designated by var­ types of necrobacillosis it has been shown ious names, depending on the animal in­ that the bacillus is not the primary in­ volved and the tissue affected. These en­ fectious agent, and that the infection must tities are calf diphtheria, foot rot, necro­ be initiated by viruses or other bacteria. tic hepatitis of cattle and sheep, necrotic It is highly possible that other organisms rumenitis of cattle, and bull nose of swine. produce anaerobic conditions in the body Others are intestinal lesions secondary to tissue by cell destruction and normal ox­ enteritis in swine and horses, bite and ygen consumption necessary for their castration wounds, contagious pustular metabolic processes. Thus, having estab­ dermatitis and ulcerative dermatosis of lished vesicles suitable for growth, necro~is f~l­ sheep, necrotic dermatitis, Spherophorus will then proceed to grow lowing pneumonia, thrush, and qmttor III and multiply '"in the anaerobic medium the horse. The condition may also be and commonly penetrates epithelial mem­ present in lesions of avian diphtheria, branes on its way to the secondary le­ secondary to the viral agent, beak ulcer­ sions. ation of chickens and also may be found It should be noted here that the organ­ in the typical "button ulcers" of hog ism has been found in the ceca of normal cholera. swine, and it is likely that it exists in the alimentary tract of other animals also. It is possible that the organism may be in­ [This paper was written by Mell Westoupal, a junior, for a pathology course.] troduced by eating OUT anaerobic condi-

Issue 1, 1957 21 tions are produced by other organisms. It there for suitable conditions to occur. does not seem likely that the bacillus mul­ This is one of the reasons for the 3 to 5 tiplies outside the body but it remains day incubation period in the disease. viable in soil and manure for short peri­ The favorite locations of the lesions are ods of time. Marsh and Tunnicliff were on the cheeks adj acent to the molar teeth, able to demonstrate the organism in a wet at the base of the tongue and on the buc­ pasture 10 months after sheep with foot cal mucosa, but in more severe outbreaks rot had run on it, but could not demon­ necrotic lesions may be found in the lar­ strate it after a second 10 month period. ynx, trachea, lungs, esophagus and ru­ They also determined that under these men. At first the lesions resemble small favorable conditions, it could survive one scabs but later coalesce to form a necro­ winter in the rigorous climate of Mon­ tic area surrounded by a reddened zone. tana. A offensive odor similar to that of lim­ Many workers have concluded that an burger cheese and sulfur is present. Yel­ exotoxin is produced by the organism due low to greenish necrotic mateiral is pres­ to the fact that rabbits die after great ent at ,the base of the ulcers and is firm­ emaciation when the only lesion is a ly attached to the underlying tissue. A small area of edema and inflammation. thick wall of granulation tissue usually An endotoxin is also produced and can surrounds the ulcer. The occurrence of be demonstrated by injecting heat killed diphtheritic membranes covering the le­ cells into laboratory animals. A subse­ sions and loss of papillae are common and quent inflammation and necrosis follows the membranes may completely block the intradermal injection in the rabbit which respiratory efforts. is evidence of a heat stable endotoxin. A similar condition occurs in swine Since the tissue changes, regardless of also but usually affects the hard palate their location, are essentially the same, and teeth. It may loosen the teeth and only a few of the more common diseases invade the bones of the head as well as will be described. causing large caseous nodules on the skin of the legs similar to those found in the CALF DIPHTHERIA mouth of the calf. Microscopically, the infection shows This is one of the more common forms coagulation necrosis of the cells and py­ of necrobacillosis which occurs as a fairly knosis and karyolysis of the nuclei. The acute, infectious and highly fatal disease inflammatory exudate is usually of the of young calves. It often attacks whole fibrinous type but at times deep coagu­ herds, affecting only a few animals but lation necrosis of the mucous membrane later in the course of the disease may be­ occurs and a fibro-necrotic or diphtheritic come widespread. The mucosal mem­ membrane is formed. The organism is branes of the throat and mouth are af­ usually located at the edge of the living fected, thus the names necrotic stomati­ tissue in a zone of inflammation where tis, laryngitis, and pharyngitis are used. many white blood cells and fibroblasts Most writers refer to the bacillus as are also found. a secondary invader that attacks only Since the disease is one of young weakened tissue, that won't develop in a calves, the animal often experiences diffi­ mucous membrane, and that enters culty in nursing. Loss of appetite occurs through a slight break in the mucosa. and due to the painful buccal mucosa a Predisposing causes are injuries to the tuft of roughage may be taken, mouthed mucosa from sharp objects, such as stub­ slightly, and then dropped dejectedly to ble and barley beards, exposure to filth and eruption of teeth in calves. Since the the ground. Temperature elevation, sal­ organism is a strict anaerobe, it does not ivation, swelling of the cheeks, protrusion develop on the mucous membranes but of the tongue and drooling are some of burrows into deeper tissues after gaining the early symptoms. Respiration may be­ entrance through abrasions and waits come difficult or accelerated due to a na-

22 Iowa State College Veterinarian sal discharge and coughing occurs if lung portance along with traumatic agents in involvement is present. Calves become serving to weaken and erode the epithe­ very dehydrated, emaciated and stand lial and horny structures of the foot with a slightly arched back. Animals af­ which can later be penetrated by the or­ fected are those confined to areas which ganism if it is brought in contact with the may be contaminated with the organism, foot. Another explanation of the dry pas­ such as stables, while cases on the range ture type of the disease evolves around are few in number. Filth, damp and un­ the fact that Spherophorus itself is not clean stables, and traumatic agents tend capable of producing the lesions unless to increase the incidence of the disease. certain conditions are established. If an animal is subjected to wet conditions in FOOT ROT the spring of the year it may have only Necrobacillosis of the foot as defined by a few organisms penetrating the hoof and Flint and Jensen is a necrotizing infec­ may require several weeks or months to tion of tissues immediately proximal to develop suitable conditions for adequate the coronary band er of interdigital tis­ growth of the organism, in order for le­ sues often complicated by arthritis of the sions to develop. These lesions may not coffin joint, and caused in part by Sphero­ be evident until after the animal is on phous necrophorus, penetrating from the dry pasture later on in the summer or surface. This definition is based on work in the fall. done in Wyoming experiments and does A recent survey in New Zealand not necessarily adequately describe the showed that the incidence of foot rot in primary etiological agent in all parts of pigs was considerably higher in concrete the country. In the Midwest and espe­ piggeries than those pigs raised on dirt cially in Iowa the organism Corynebac­ or board floors. Foot rot appeared to in­ terium pyogenes is found more consis­ crease as the floor surface increased in tently than Spherophorus necrophorus in roughness and was generally the highest, the lesions of foot rot and therefore the about 19 per cent, in those pigs which latter organism is considered by many to were allowed to run "on and off" of the be only a secondary invader. It is possible concrete. The explanation may be that that there is often confusion here between pigs fee1t are worn and injuries develop actual foot rot and similar lesions of the on the concre1te, allowing the bacteria to foot termed foot abcesses or non-contag­ enter the damaged hoof, especially when ious foot rot. Reports from Australia the pigs are allowed to run out in muddy state that the primary causative agent of conditions. foot rot is Fusiformis nodosus, but Spher­ In conjunction with the above data ophorus necrophorus enters before typi­ some additional studies were made at­ cal lesions develop. Fusiformis nodosus tempting to determine the effect of al­ is a strict parasite that does not survive teration of the normal diet with milk for more than a few days away from the products and garbage. It was determined feet of infected sheep and goats. A sim­ that pigs fed garbage and whole milk ilar condition may be present in the pre­ were less susceptible to the disease than viously mentioned case. those fed on skimmed milk alone. Those In the past it was thought that in or­ on the deficient diet were evidently low der for the organism to gain entrance in hoof forming elements, allowing en­ into the tissues a maceration of the thin trance of the organism. skin of the interdigital area due to wet, It has been demonstrated by the Mon­ filthy conditions and traumatic agents tana Veterinary Research Laboratory was necessary. In the past few years how­ that the infectious agent lives on the ever, foot rot has been seen more often ground or bedding only a short period of in cattle on bluegrass pastures during time after infected sheep have been re­ the dry season of the year. It seems that moved from the premises. These findings the moisture problem is of primary im- were altered when it was found that a

Issue 1, 1957 23 pasture severely infected produced necro­ groups are related because they are in tic lesions on the soles of sheep pastured close anatomic proximity, contained there 1 year later. Spherophorus was iso­ Spherophorus, and were infected by pen­ lated from the lesions but they were not etration from :the surface. Therefore typical lesions showing that certain un­ these three conditions were termed ne­ known conditions or organisms are nec­ crobacillosis while the others were con­ essary for actual foot rot to occur. sidered secondary involvements and The incubation period has been exper­ didn't necessarily contain the organism. imentally estimated at about 10 to 14 days Death is due to the infections of the feet in sheep but in experimental injections and complications such as toxemia al­ of cattle feet, symptoms were observed in though in fatal cases there are no lesions 48 hours after injection of Spherophorus on the viscera or internal organs. into the common digital artery. The re­ Foot rot must be distinguished from the sistance of the animal and secondary con­ foot lesions of: (1) foot and mouth dis­ ditions present, account for the difference ease, (2) contagious ecthyma, (3) ul­ in the artificial lesions. cerative dermatosis, (4) other suppura­ One of the most evident symptoms of tive conditions of sheep called foot absces­ the disease is severe lameness in one or ses or non contagious foot rot and (5) in­ more feet which often throws an animal fections from Erysipelothrix rhusiopa­ off feed and causes him to stand with the thiae. Differential diagnosis is difficult foot elevated. There is usualy no involve­ and is usually based on the location of ment of tissues above the hoof and in ad­ the primary lesions, whether or not the vanced cases the horn may become de­ hoof is involved and the exudate, if pres­ formed and overgrown. ent. The initial lesion is a tenderness and HEPATIC NECROBACILLOSIS AND reddening of the medial face of the claw or a surface necrosis of the soft horn of RUMENITIS-LIVER ABSCESS the heel. The lesions progress to other COMPLEX areas of necrosis on the bulb of the heel Hepatic necrobacillosis is an infectious and the medial face of the digits. After noncontagious disease characterized by extending through the soft tissue it may single or multiple abscesses of the bovine extend to the corium of the sole and about liver and is caused by Spherophorus ne­ 2 weeks after infection the entire sole crop horus which enters as a secondary may become involved. The process then invader. The above statement is intended extends from the sole to the laminae of to mean that the hepatic abscesses occur the wall so that within 30 days after the secondarily to gastric injuries which con­ initial lesions, the laminae are involved. stitute what is known as the rumenitis­ Exudate is usually absent but chronically liver abscess complex. infected coffin joints discharge exudate Hepatic abscesses occur in fattened cat­ continuously through tracts which open tle and lambs primarily and only occa­ into the interdigital space and occasional­ sionally in unfattened animals. The ab­ ly a tract opens at the coronary band on scesses are responsible for economic the abaxial surface. This exudate has an losses to packers by necessitating con­ odor typical of the lesions. demnation of livers and ,to producers by Histologic sections of naturally infected causing occasional deaths and by reducing feet were made in Wyoming experiments food utilization in feeder animals. and on the basis of pathologic changes, Because the internal lesions of necro­ they were clasified into eight groups: bacillosis have been limited to the liver dermatitis, necrosis of the interdigital tis­ and because Spherophorus is normally sue, arthritis of ,the coffin joint, osteitis, found in the alimentary tract it is logical laminitis, inflammation of connective tis­ to assume that lesions of the alimentary sue, arthritis of the pastern and fetlock tract may permit the organism to pene­ joints and miscellaneous. The first three trate into the portal blood. It is possible

24 Iowa State College Veterinarian for the organism to enter the portal cir­ culation by traumatic gastritis, nontrau­ matic gastritis or by points of entrance posterior to the stomach. The organism is known as a secondary invader of vesi­ cular lesions which serve as mediums from which the bacillus can multiply. The finding of vesicular lesions in the rumens of fattened cattle causes this condition to conform to the other types of necro­ bacillosis. Experimentally infected cattle and sheep using a bacterial extract injected by way of the portal route showed a rela­ tively short incubation period of 2 to 3 days with maximum nodule formation in 20 days. This period is undoubtedly shorter than the natural infection due to the relatively poorer permeability of the rumen wall. The disease is usually sporadic in cattle and often affects animals of from 2 to 3 years of age. There is often a reduced milk flow, depression, constipation, abdo­ minal pain, anorexia, pulse of 80-100 per minute, respiration of 30-40 per minute, and a temperature of 104-106 degrees. In Multiple abscesses of the liver caused by acute types there may be grunting, an Spherophorus necrophorus. arched back, stiffness and a tendency to remain down. There may be associated the organ. Subperitoneal emphysema, lung lesions due to metastasis involving distension of the gall bladder with bile the pleura which results in fast breath­ from pressure exerted by the nodules, ne­ ing, slight nasal discharge, cough and crotic foci in the pleura, diaphragm, heart, pain on percussion over the heart. spleen and kidneys also may be evident The lesions of the rumen are often as on post mortem examination. important as those of the liver and should be examined in making a diagnosis. Gross Histopathological examination of the pathology of the rumen shows both an liver nodules shows necrosis near the acute and chronic rumenitis. Acute ru­ periphery of the nodules with the organ­ menitis is characterized by hyperemia, ism abundant there. The rumen epithe­ hemorrhagic mucosa, edema,gas bodies lium is necrotic and contains vesicles and necrosis. Chronic rumenitis is char­ which are filled with leucocytes and bac­ acterized by depigmentation, scars from teria, including Spherophorus necrop­ healed vesicles, thickening of mucosa and horus. Necrosis and thrombosis are ex­ submucosa from fibrosis, pits in the epi­ tensive and the exudate consists primarily thelium, nodules or vesicles and ulcers. of fibrin, serum and neutrophiles. In A few necrotic foci in the liver do no chronic rumenitis the epithelium becomes harm but extensive nodules with ac­ thickened and the submucosa contains companying peritoneal adhesions often epithelial nodules composed of concen­ cause death. An enlarged liver with tric layers of keratinized epithelial cells rounded edges and dark yellow nodules which are liberated in response to the two inches in diameter with a clay con­ chronic irritation. Eosinophiles, lymph­ sistency are usually scattered throughout ocytes, macrophages and giant cells are

Issue 1) 1957 25 prominent in the submucosa, especially contact with the ewe. At this early age surrounding the lymphatics. the rumen mucosa is not well developed In early stages of acute multiple ab­ and is susceptible to invasion by the bac­ scess formation, affected animals are 'teria which also may be picked up from sick clinically and may die. In chronic the ground. stages of multiple abscess formation and during the entire course of single abscess formation affected animals are not sick clinically and, consequently continue to LINICAL ANn LABORATORY eat and gain in body weight. After the C STUDIES OF NOVABIOCIN-A symptoms are distinct, death occurs with­ NEW ANTIBIOTIC. The results of lab­ in a period of 2 weeks due to the severe oratory and clinical studies of a new toxemia developed from the liver mal­ antibiotic, novabiocin, were presented. function. Staphlococci were remarkably sensitive Recent experimentation has been done in vitro, and there was no cross resistance on the causes of rumenitis occurring in with other antibiotics. Pneumococci and fattened beef cattle which subsequently Group H streptococci were also inhibited lead to bacterial invasion and hepatic ne­ by low concentrations, but they were crobacillosis. Although not specifically less sensitive than staphlococci. Among identified, the irritant was introduced in­ the Gram-negative bacilli, members of to the anterior ventral sac of the rumen the proteus group were moderately sen­ by, (1) feeding a ration in which the ra­ sitive. tio of concentrate was high and (2) by N ovabiocin was less effective in the rapidly changing from a ration high in presence of a larger inoculum of bacteria, concentrate. and serum exerted a marked inhibitory Necrobacillosis of the liver has been effect. Serum concentrations performed recognized for many years as the cause of by dilution of patients serum in broth deaths in lambs from 1 to 3 weeks old. were considerably higher than those ob­ The bacteria enter the body of the lamb tained with other antibiotics although the by way of the umbilical cord soon after method used did not reflect the factor of birth and spread from the umbilical to serum inhibition. The daily dose was two the portal vein causing multiple necrotic grams administered orally, and side ef­ foci of infection in the liver. This type of fects were minimal. Two patients devel­ infection does not involve the digestive oped rashes which may have been caused tract. by novabiocin. Another condition involving consider­ Results in 75 patients with a variety able losses of lambs showing necrobacillo­ of clinical infections were in general fa­ sis often occurs but the lesions involve vorable' and they appeared comparable to the mucosa of the rumen as well as ad­ those obtained with erythromycin. In hesions of the liver to the diaphragm and staphlococcal infections in which prompt extension of the necrotic processes to the healing did not occur, the infecting orga­ lung. This condition appears to be simi­ nisms rapidly became resistant to nova­ lar to the one occurring in feeder lambs biocin. For this reason it is recommended as complications of contagious ecthyma. that novabiocin be used exclusively for The above type of necrobacillosis is typ­ treatment of infections caused by anti­ ical in that a primary infection of the biotic-resistant staphlococci. Whenever rumen occurs with a secondary invasion possible another antibiotic to which the of the liver, diaphragm and lungs. Favor­ organism is also sensitive should be ad­ able conditions are those of poor sanita­ ministered simultaneously. tion in early spring lambing where ex­ cess moisture makes it possible for the lamb to in g est considerably large [Kirby, William M. M.; Hudson, Dean G.; Noyes, Ward D. A.M.A. Archives of Internal amounts of organisms from the udder and Medicine. 98:1-7. July 1, 1956.]

26 Iowa State College Veterinarian