2020
Hemorrhagic Septicemia in Cattle ...…..……………….……… Dr. Ali Kareem
Hemorrhagic Septicemia in
Cattle
Hemorrhagic septicemia (HS) is an acute,
highly fatal form of pasteurellosis that
affects mainly water buffalo, cattle, and
bison. It is considered the most
economically important bacterial disease of
water buffalo and cattle in tropical areas of
Asia, particularly in southeast Asia, where
water buffalo populations are high.
Occasional outbreaks among pigs and less
frequently among sheep, goats and bison
have been reported. Incidental cases have
been reported in horses, donkeys, elephants,
yaks and camels.
Etiology
Classical HS as defined by the OIE is caused
by Pasteurella multocida serotypes B:2 and
E:2 (Carter and Heddleston classification
system). Serotype B:2 has been identified in
most areas where the disease is endemic,
whereas serotype E:2 has been found only in
Africa. Septicemic pasteurellosis that is
clinically similar to HS can be caused by a
wide variety of other P multocida serotypes
and has been reported worldwide.
P. multocida possesses a number of
virulence factors, which include the capsule,
fimbriae, and adhesins; outer membrane
proteins (OMPs); endotoxin
(lipopolysaccharide [LPS]); siderophores;
and a number of extracellular enzymes.
Endotoxin appears to be the most important
virulence factor responsible for clinical
disease. LPS of serogroups B and E were
found to be identical, and intravenous
inoculation with LPS from these strains
allowed for reproduction of clinical disease
and death within hours, consistent with
severe endotoxemia in water buffaloes.
Synthesis of the extracellular enzyme
hyaluronidase appears to be a specific
feature of serotype B:2, but the significance
of the enzyme for the virulence of the
pathogen is not known.
Risk Factors
Animal Risk Factors
The disease predominantly affects water
buffaloes and cattle, but buffaloes are
considered to be more susceptible to clinical
disease. These species also present the most
important host reservoir for the pathogen. It
is estimated that in endemic areas up to 5%
of water buffaloes and cattle are carriers and
thus potential shedders of the pathogens.
All age groups are susceptible to infection,
but in endemic regions, older animals
previously exposed to the pathogen may
have antibodies providing some protection.
In these regions the most susceptible age
group is 6 months to 2 years of age.
Colostral immunity of calves from cows
vaccinated against hemorrhagic septicemia
peaks at 8 to 16 weeks of age and then
declines.
There is no difference in susceptibility
between breeds. The immune status and
health of the individual animal and the herd
are considered important factors in the
epidemiology of HS. Stress resulting from
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Hemorrhagic Septicemia in Cattle ...…..……………….……… Dr. Ali Kareem
inadequate feed supply, disease, or
exhaustion is considered an important
predisposing factor for clinical disease.
Environmental Risk Factors
Although clinical disease can occur at any
time of the year, close herding and wet con-
ditions clearly contribute to the spread of the
disease. Outbreaks of the disease are often
associated with wet, humid weather during
the rainy season.
Stressors such as inadequate feed supply or
exhaustion are considered important pre-
disposing factors that not only increase the
susceptibility to clinical disease, but also
stimulate shedding of the bacterium from
subclinically infected animals.
During intervening periods, the causative
organism persists on the tonsillar and naso-
pharyngeal mucosae of carrier animals.
Transmission
Transmission of P. multocida occurs either
through oral ingestion or inhalation, either
during direct contact between infected and
susceptible individuals or via fomites such
as contaminated feed or water.
The saliva of affected animals contains large
numbers of Pasteurella during the early
stages of the disease. Although infection
occurs by ingestion, the organism does not
survive on pasture for more than 24 hours.
Biting insects to not seem to be significant
vectors.
Pathogenesis
The portal of entry of infection is thought to
be the tonsils. A fulminating septicemia
occurs, which is associated with the capsular
material of the organism and its endotoxin.
In acute and peracute cases death ensues
within 8 to 24 hours of appearance of the
first clinical signs. The effects of the
septicemia are most severe in the respiratory
tract, heart, and gastrointestinal tract.
In cattle and buffalo there is rapid
translocation of bacteria from the respiratory
tract to the blood, liver, and spleen,
suggesting that the bacteria are able to
invade via the mucosal epithelial layers.
Clinical findings
Many cases of HS are peracute and result in
death within 8–24 hr.
• These animals often have fever,
hypersalivation, nasal discharge, and
difficult respiration, but because of the
short duration of disease these signs
may easily be overlooked.
• Acute disease can persist up to 3 days,
and less often 5 days, and is
characterized by fever of 104°–106°F
(40°–41.1°C), apathy or restlessness
and reluctance to move,
hypersalivation, lacrimation, nasal
discharge that begins as serous and
progresses to mucopurulent,
subcutaneous swelling in the
pharyngeal region that extends to the
ventral neck and brisket (and
sometimes the forelegs), progressive
respiratory difficulty, cyanosis,
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Hemorrhagic Septicemia in Cattle ...…..……………….……… Dr. Ali Kareem
terminal recumbency, and possibly
abdominal pain with diarrhea.
Clinical pathology
Culture and Detection of Bacteria
Laboratory diagnosis is by isolation and
identification of the causative agent.
• The organism can be cultured from
blood or a nasal swab from an animal
within a few hours of death.
• Blood or a nasal swab during the
clinical phase of the disease is not
reliable because the septicemia is a
terminal event.
• From older carcasses, a long bone is
used for culture from the bone marrow.
• Biochemical and serologic tests are
used for identification and serotyping
of P. multocida. Serotyping can be
done by rapid slide agglutination,
indirect hemagglutination, agar gel
immunodiffusion, and
counterimmunoelectrophoresis.
• DNA fingerprinting and other
molecular techniques are suitable for
epidemiologic studies to trace an
outbreak back to its origin.
Serology
Serology is not normally used for diagnosis
because of the peracute and highly fatal
course of disease; however, high titers (1:
160 or higher) by indirect hemagglutination
(IHA) in surviving in-contact animals are
suggestive of disease.
Necropsy findings
At necropsy, the gross findings are usually
limited to generalized petechial
hemorrhages, particularly under the serosae,
and edema of the lungs and lymph nodes.
Subcutaneous infiltrations of gelatinous
fluid may be present, and in a few animals
there are lesions of early pneumonia and a
hemorrhagic gastroenteritis.
Varying degrees of lung involvement range
from generalized congestion to patchy or
extensive consolidation.Thickening of the
interlobular septa may be prominent.
The characteristic lesion of HS is swelling of
the subcutis and muscle of the
submandibular region, neck, and brisket by
clear to blood-tinged edema fluid.
Serous to serofibrinous fluid may also be
present in the thorax, pericardium, and
abdominal cavity. There is typically
widespread congestion with petechiae and
ecchymoses in tissues and on serosal
surfaces. Hemorrhages are often most
prominent in the pharyngeal and cervical
lymph nodes.
Differential Diagnoses
The differential diagnoses for hemorrhagic
septicemia include many other conditions
causing peracute death, sometimes without
specific clinical signs:
• Blackleg
• Anthrax
• Rinderpest
• Lightning strike
• Acute salmonellosis
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Hemorrhagic Septicemia in Cattle ...…..……………….……… Dr. Ali Kareem
More protracted cases with signs of
respiratory distress:
• Pneumonic pasteurellosis (shipping
fever, enzootic calf pneumonia)
• Atypical interstitial pneumonia
• Mycoplasmosis
Treatment
• Treatment is of little use once clinical
signs have become apparent because of
the acute/ peracute course of disease.
• Various antimicrobials have been used
to treat HS in cattle and other species,
including tetracyclines, penicillin, and
sulfonamides, but monitoring of
antimicrobial susceptibility of P.
multocida strains associated with HS
revealed a gradual development of in
vitro resistance, particularly against
sulfonamides.
• Whatever antimicrobial is chosen, an
initial intravenous loading dose is
required to reach bactericidal
concentrations in blood as fast as
possible.
Control
Hemorrhagic septicemia can be eradicated
from nonendemic areas by animal
movement control, quarantines, tracing of
contacts, culling of infected and exposed
animals, and disinfection of the premise.
Although treatment may be successful when
initiated early in the course of the disease, up
to 20% of surviving animals are estimated to
become clinically unapparent shedders,
thereby creating a host reservoir. In endemic
areas the condition is mainly controlled by
vaccination.
Removing identified carrier animals,
avoiding stress by providing adequate feed
supply, and avoiding overcrowding,
particularly during the rainy season, can
further reduce the risk of clinical disease and
transmission of the infection.
Treatment of animals that were in contact
with clinical herdmates may be suitable to
limit morbidity and mortality rates during an
outbreak.
Treatment and control
Antimicrobial therapy:
Penicillin G sodium/potassium (22,000
IU/kg initial IV then IM every 12h) (R-2)
Procaine penicillin (22,000 IU/kg IM every
12h or 44,000 IU/kg IM every 24h after
initial IV loading dose of penicillin G
sodium/ potassium) (R-2)
Oxytetracycline (10 mg/kg initial IV then IM
every 24 for 4 days) (R-2)
Trimethoprim ([2.66 mg/kg] + sulfadoxine
[13.33 mg/kg] initial IV then IM every 12h)
(R-2)
Enrofloxacin* (2.5-5 mg/kg SC q24h)
Ceftiofur sodium* (1.2–2.2 mg/kg IV
every24h)
Ceftiofur hydrochloride* (2.2 mg/kg SC
every 24 after initial IV loading dose of
ceftiofur sodium)
Metaphylaxis
Tulathromycin (2.5 mg/kg SC as single
dose) Florfenicol (40 mg/kg SC as single
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Hemorrhagic Septicemia in Cattle ...…..……………….……… Dr. Ali Kareem

dose) Tilmicosin (10 mg/kg SC as single

dose)
Gamithromycin (6 mg/kg SC/IM as
single dose)
Oxytetracycline long-acting formulation
(20 mg/kg IM as a single dose)
Enrofloxacin* (7.5–12.5 mg/kg SC/IM as
single dose) (R-3)
Danofloxacin* (8 mg/kg SC as single
dose) (R-3)
Ceftiofur* crystalline acid free (6.6 mg/kg
SC posterior pinna as single treatment)
(R-3)

Vaccination
Vaccination with inactivated HS vaccine (R-
1)**
Vaccination with modified live vaccine
(intranasal) (R-1)**
*Classified as critically important
antimicrobials in human and veterinary
medicine. Use as first-line treatment is
discouraged.5
**Colostral antibody interferes with vaccine
efficacy in calves.

References
Constable, P. D., Hinchcliff, K. W., Done,
S. H., & Grünberg, W. (2017). Veterinary
medicine: textbook of the diseases of
cattle, horses, sheep, pigs and goats. St.
Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Ltd.
Moses, A. M., and Aiello, S. E. (2016).
The merck veterinary manual.
Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck & Co.
Inc.