Abstract

Thirteen of 100 fallow deer, aged between 6 months and 10 years, died over a 5 week period. The deaths occurred in 2 outbreaks 3 weeks apart. Both outbreaks were preceded by at least 3 days of cold wet and windy weather, and were associated with water-logged pastures. Affected animals were usually found dead, with a frothy blood-stained nasal discharge. In the 8 deer necropsied, gross lesions included widespread subserosal petechial haemorrhages, severe pulmonary congestion and oedema with froth-filled airways, and fibrinous pneumonia and pleurisy in 4 deer. Two deer, also, had extensive subcutaneous petechial and ecchymotic haemorrhages and oedema of skeletal musculature. Histologically, the most significant lesions were present in the lungs. Moderate to severe pulmonary congestion and oedema, with fibrinous exudation into alveoli and septal oedema, were present in all deer. In some deer these changes were accompanied by a diffuse infiltration with polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Pasteurella multocida was isolated from a range of tissues from 7 of 8 deer examined. The remaining animal had been treated with antibiotics 8 hours before death. The isolates had identical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns and were of the same antigenic type-Carter group A, Heddleston type 3,4.

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Authors

Carrigan MJ, Dawkins HJ, Cockram FA, Hansen AT

Institution

New South Wales Agriculture and Fisheries, Agricultural Research and Veterinary Centre, Orange.

Source

Australian veterinary journal 68:6 1991 Jun pg 201-3

MeSH

Animals
Deer
Disease Outbreaks
Female
Male
New South Wales
Pasteurella
Pasteurella Infections
Sepsis
Serotyping

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

1888312