What is "hemorrhagic septicemia"

n. an acute infectious disease characterized by pneumonia and blood infection [syn: pasteurellosis]

Haemorrhagic septicaemia is one of the most economically important pasteurelloses. Haemorrhagic septicaemia in cattle and buffaloes was previously known to be associated with one of two serotypes of P. multocida: Asian B:2 and African E:2 according to the Carter-Heddleston system, or 6:B and 6:E using the Namioka-Carter system.

The disease occurs mainly in cattle and buffaloes. However, some cases of infection in other animals have been reported. Sporadic cases in goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) have been reported in Malaysia and India. Kasali presented evidence for the disease in the African buffalo ( Syncerus nanus). In Sudan, HS was reported in camels. However, it is interesting to note that Awad et al. reported that camels are resistant to experimental infection with doses that are lethal to buffaloes. Pigs have been infected by serogroup B in Malaysia and India. In Sri Lanka, some cases of HS have been reported in wild elephants (Elephas maximus) during simultaneous outbreaks among cattle and buffaloes in the same locality. Serotypes B:1 and B:3,4 have been responsible for a septicaemic disease in the USA in antelope ( Antilocapra americana) and elk ( Cervus canadensis), respectively. Serotype B:4 was reported in Canada to be associated with a septicaemic disease in bison ( Bison bison). Cases in horses and donkeys ( Equus africanus asinus) have been reported in India.

Serotypes E:2 and B:2 were formerly associated with HS outbreaks in Africa and Asia respectively. Serotype E:2 was reported in Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Zambia. However, it is now inaccurate to associate outbreaks in Africa with serotype E:2 as many outbreaks of HS in Africa have now been associated with serogroup B. In the same manner, serogroup E has been associated with outbreaks in Asia. For instance, one record of "Asian serotype" (B:2) was reported in Cameroon. Some reports showed that serotype B:2 may be present in some East African countries. Both serogroups B and E have been reported in Egypt and Sudan. Natural routes of infection are inhalation and/or ingestion. Experimental transmission has succeeded using intranasal aerosol spray or oral drenching. When subcutaneous inoculation is used experimentally, it results in rapid onset of the disease, a shorter clinical course and less marked pathological lesions compared to the longer course of disease and more profound lesions of oral drenching and the intranasal infection by aerosols.

When HS was introduced for the first time into a geographic area, morbidity and mortality rates were high. In fact, when the clinical disease first appeared and clinical signs started, the case fatality rate approached 100% unless animals were treated in the very early stages of disease.