title: Patho-bacteriological investigation of an outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis infection in calves - Emerging stealth assault.
abstract: Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) is an important bacterium, causing severe respiratory infection, and arthritis in dairy animals worldwide. This study is based on 50 suckling calves among which 15 showed respiratory distress, lameness and swollen joints and died later. M. bovis was isolated and identified from all dead (n = 15) and live (17.14%; 06 out of 35) calves on the basis of bacteriological examination. In morbid calves, the carpus and stifle joints were severely affected, while necropsy revealed multiple well-circumscribed calcified abscesses and caseous exudates in cranio-ventral and diaphragmatic lobes of lungs. Suppurative polyarthritis, fibrino-suppurative, teno-synovitis and otitis media were the common and striking lesion observed at postmortem examination. Histopathological examination revealed broncho-interstitial pneumonia and necrotic fibrino-purulent broncho-pneumonia in lungs. Similarly, synovial membranes and joints revealed presence of multiple foci of liquefactive necrosis surrounded by lymphocytes, plasma cells, macrophages and peripheral fibroplasia. In the bacteriological investigations, the characteristic fried egg colonies of M. bovis further confirmed this infection in all suspected cases. In conclusion, the current clinico-histo-pathological features are the depictive picture, and is the first report of M. bovis infection in calves in Pakistan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan. Electronic address: fazalmahkhan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Fazal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mahmood
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan. Electronic address: ahrar1122@uaf.edu.pk.
authors.forename: Ahrar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: University College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan. Electronic address: driazhussain@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Riaz
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan. Electronic address: imtiazarana@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Imtiaz Ahmad
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan. Electronic address: raouaf@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Rao Zahid
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.affiliation: University College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan. Electronic address: hmali_uaf@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hafiz Muhammad
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, UVAS Sub-campus Jhang 35200, Pakistan. Electronic address: younusrana@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Younus
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious; D001344:Autopsy; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D007794:Lameness, Animal; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D045682:Mycoplasma bovis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013585:Synovitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Bacteriology; Bovine calves; Histopathology; Mycoplasma bovis; Necropsy