Intas Polivet (2015) Vol.

16 (II): 404-406 Clinical Article

Diagnosis and Management of Contagious Caprine Pleuro Pneumonia

C. Pavan Kumar1, K. Sudhakar Goud2, N. Syaama Sundar3 and V. Devi Prasad4
Department of Veterinary Medicine
College of Veterinary Science
Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU)
Proddatur - 516360
YSR Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh).

Abstract
Caprine flocks were showing symptoms of hyper pyrexia, muco-purulent nasal discharges, respiratory distress,
dullness and mortality after 5-7 days. Post-mortem lesions observed were fibrinous pleuro pneumonia, pleural
adhesions and copious pleural transudate in thoracic cavity. Based on symptoms, post mortem lesions and cultural
examination, it was diagnosed as contagious caprine pleuro pneumonia (CCPP) and ailing goats were successfully
treated with Tylosin @ 10 mg/kg b.wt., I/M for 5 days thus controlled horizontal transmission within the flock.
Keywords: Contagious caprine pleuro pneumonia; goats; tylosin.

Introduction flakes (Kaliner and Mac Owan, 1975; W esonga

Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia is a highly
contagious, fatal disease of caprines which
poses a maj or threat to the goat farming
community particularly in developing countries
like India and other Asian countries. The disease
is included in the list of notifiable diseases by
World Organization of Animal Health (OIE, 2008)
because of very high morbidity and mortality rates
causing significant socio-economic impact.
Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) is
caused by an intracellular bacteria Mycoplasma
capricolum sub sp. capri pneumoniae (MCCP)
which can infect domestic as well as wild breeds
of goats (Nicholas 2002a; Arif et al., 2007;
Ostrowski et al., 2011). The disease is
characterised by hyper pyrexia, 100% morbidity,
mortality (60-80%). The important clinical signs
includes dyspnoea, grunting, snoring, continuous
nasal discharges, anorexia and abortions
(Nicholas 2002a). In per acute cases, goat may
succumb to death within 1-3 days without
exhibiting and major clinical manifestations (OIE,
2008). Typical post-mortem lesions like
conspicuous pleuritis with abundant pleural
exudates (Thiacourt and Bolske, 2011), excessive
quantities of straw coloured fluid with fibrinous
1. Assistant Professor and Corresponding author
E-mail : pavancvet@gmail.com.
2. Assistant Professor, CVSc, Korutla.
3. Professor and Head
4. Associate Professor
et al.,1993; OIE, 2008) with adhesions between
pleura and lung lobes ( Mac Owan and Minette,
1977) may be present in pleural cavity. Various
therapeutic trials were reported by different
workers by using different antibiotics of variable
efficacy like Streptomycin, long acting
Oxytetracycline (Giadinis et al., 2008). Among them
Tylosin (Onoviron, 1974) in naturally infected goat
and Danofloxacin (Ozdemir et al., 2006) in
experimentally infected goat showed promising
results. The present study reports the occurrence
of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia and its
successful treatment by using Tylosin injection.
History and Observations
Non-descriptive adult goats were reported to be
showing signs of high fever, sero-mucous nasal
discharges, respiratory distress and death in
some cases. Upon clinical examination, ailing
goat were showing hyper pyrexia (105-106°F),
increased respiration rate (40/min) and pulse rate
(66/min). Two to three days after onset of pyrexia,
the goat were exhibiting serous nasal discharges
gradually turning into thick muco-purulent nasal
discharges (Fig. 1) and ocular discharges (Fig.2).
Faecal samples were found to be negative for
parasitic ova and nasal swabs and heart blood
swabs were found to be negative for pasturella.
Auscultation of lungs revealed dull sounds
indicating consolidation and pleural adhesions.
The other signs included frequent lying down,
lagging and fixed nosy posture. In terminal

404
 Kumar et al.
Fig. 2 : Muco-purulent nasal discharges.
Fig. 3: Caseous fibrinous deposition over the lungs.
stages,the goat were unable to move with
abducted fore limbs, extended stiff neck with
continuous salivation. Death was observed after
4-7 days.
Necropsy findings
In the present study, thoracic cavity showed large
quantity of clear straw coloured transudate
containing fibrin strands (Fig.3). Lung lobes had
areas of severe congestion and fibrinous pleuritis.
In severe and advanced cases tracheal
congestion and pleural adhesions between lungs
and thoracic wall (Fig. 4) were observed. In some
cases, lungs depicted areas of hepatisation and
abscessation. Aliquots of pleural fluid and lung
tissue were collected and sent to the laboratory
for confirmatory diagnosis which was found to be
positive for Mycoplasma on culture.
a - Brand of Doctors Pharma, Vijayawada
b - Brand of Intas Animal Health, Ahmedabad.
405
Fig. 1: Purulent Ocular discharges and congestion.
Fig. 4 : Lung showing greyish hepatization,
congestion with fibrin strands and pleural adhesions
Treatment
Ailing animals were isolated from healthy flock
and treated symptomatically. They were
administered with Tylosin tartrate (Dysinea) @ 10
mg/kg b.wt. I/M for 5 days (Tsu, 2008), Tolfenamic
acid (Maxxtol b) @ 2mg/kg b.wt. and
Chlorpheneramine maleat (Anistamin b ). Liver
tonics (Livotasb) @ 7ml and Vitamin supplements
(Tribivet b ) 1ml, I/M were given as supportive
therapy for 5 days.
Results and Discussion
During the study, almost all the ailing goats
exhibited predominant clinical signs with high
fever, muco-purulent nasal discharges, cough,
respiratory distress and lacrimation which are
corroborating with the findings of Sadique et al.
(2012). Post-mortem lesions like fibrino pleural
layer over the lungs, straw coloured pleural fluid
with pleural adhesion were also reported by Smith
 Management of CCPP
and Sherman (2009); Sadique et al. (2012).
Tylosin is a macrolide bacteriostatic antibiotic
used in sheep, goat, cattle and swine for treatment
of local and systemic infections caused by
Mycoplasma (Hsu, 2008). The goats treated with
Tylosin within 2-3 days post infection, responded
and recovered after 3rd day. Similar findings were
also observed by Onovarion (1974) in which
Tylosin administration as an early intervention for
5 days yielded promising results. Similar success
was reported with Tylosin @ 20 mg/kg for 5 days
in naturally affected goats (El-Mahi and EL-Nasri,
1982) as well as 11 mg/kg for five days two weeks
has been reported to be more rapidly effective for
treatment than Oxytetracycline @ 15 mg/kg (Smith
and Sherman, 2009). Treatment of ailing goat in
the flock will reduce the chances of the latent
carriers in the flock thus perpetuation of the
disease in the herd. Prognosis was found to be
fair with prompt treatment showing 87% recovery
(Rurangirwa et al.,1981).
Summary
Non descriptive goat showing respiratory distress
with pyrexia, nasal discharges and mortality were
confirmed as cases of contagious caprine
pleuropneumonia and were successfully treated
with tylosin and thus controlled the horizontal
spreading of the disease within the flock.
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