Myositis, lameness, and paraparesis associated with use of an oil-adjuvant bacterin in beef cows.
Right hind limb lameness, progressing to bilateral paraparesis, was observed in 56 of 610 (9%) beef cows. Lameness began 6 days to 4 weeks after vaccination in the right longissimus lumborum (loin) muscle with an Escherichia coli/Campylobacter bacterin in an oil adjuvant. Postmortem examination of 5 affected cows revealed a large inflammatory mass at the site of vaccination. In each cow, the mass spread through adjacent intervertebral foramina into the vertebral canal and compressed the lumbar portion of the spinal cord. Microbiologic procedures did not reveal a microbial agent in affected tissues or in an unopened bottle of bacterin from the same lot used in the herd. Histologic examination revealed pyogranulomatous inflammation of the vaccination site and adjacent epidural tissue, with inflammatory nodules centered around large clear spaces that probably represented remnant emulsion from the oil adjuvant in the bacterin. As evident in these cows, IM injection of irritating products may cause severe myositis. Vaccination into paravertebral muscles is risky because of possible extension of inflammation through intervertebral foramina.
McAllister
M M
MM
Department of Veterinary Sciences, Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, University of Wyoming, Laramie 82070, USA.
O'Toole
D
D
Griggs
K J
KJ
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000139:chemically induced*; D009220:Myositis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary; D014611:Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines