Enterotoxemia:

Synonym: Pulpy kidney disease, Struck, Lamb dysentery

• It is primarily an infectious disease of ruminants that results due to absorption of toxin being formed in intestine.
• It has been reported from cattle, sheep, goat, lamb, foals and pigs.
• The disease is considered to be most important killer disease in goats.

Etiology:

• Clostridium perfringens
• Gram +ve rods, anerobic in nature
• Six strains of clostridium perfringens A to F are present out of which five strains A, B, C, D and E are important.
• Four toxins; alpha, beta, epsilon and iota produced by them causes different disease in different species. They are listed below:

Epidemiology:

• Disease is prevalent worldwide.
• Clostridium are generally inhabitant of rumen microflora in ruminant animals and are found in soil in environment.
• Disease is common in intensively managed flock fed on concentrate ration than in grazing sheep
• Highest incidence is reported in lamb between 3-10 weeks of age.
• Morbidity is around 10% and mortality reaches upto 100% usually in Oct. to Dec.

Pathogenesis:

Clinical Findings:

Type- A:

• Enterotoxemic jaundice is seen in sheep and cattle.
• Intense icterus, haemoglobinaemia and hemoglobinuria.
• Animals shows respiratory distress
• Bloody foam from mouth and nostrils.
• Pulmonary emphysema may occur due to type A infection.

Type- B:

• This organism produces alpha, beta and epsilon toxin.
• Severe dysentery in affected lamb
• Severe abdominal pain, spasms, aimless wandering
• Sudden death without any signs.

Type-C:

• It affects sheep, goat and cattle. It produces hemorrhagic enterotoxemia.
• Abdominal pain, weakness, depression, failure to suckle milk
• Hemorrhagic diarrhea

Type- D:

• It produces alpha toxin and primarily disease of sheep but cattle and goats are occasionally affected.
• Affected lamb may jump in air, fall in ground, go into convulsion and die within few minutes.
• Sheep dies suddenly without any lesion.

PM findings:

Type-B:

• In case of lamb dysentery, small necrotic areas, surrounded by zone of hemorrhages are noted in intestinal mucosa.
• Enlargement of mesenteric lymph nodes
• Liver is enlarged and friable.

Type- C:

• Hemorrhagic changes in jejunum and ileum
• Necrotic and ulcerative changes in intestine
• Small hemorrhagic lesion may be noted in epicardium, thymus and diaphragm.

Type- D:

• Diffuse reddening of abomasal mucosa
• Hemorrhages in sub-endocardial and myocardial layer of heart.
• Animal may become blind due to affection in CNS

• Straw colored fluid is found in peritoneal, pleural and pericardial sac.
• Most striking lesion is autolytic changes in kidney. Due to autolysis, kidney becomes soft and pulpy, hence named pulpy kidney disease.
• Sheep may develop glycosuria, so called over eating disease.

Type-E:

• There is fatal infection leading to death.
• Hemorrhagic changes in intestine.

Diagnosis:

• Diagnosis is made on basis of history of spread of disease; sudden death in animals following changes in diet and stress.
• Based on clincal findings
• Based on PM findings
• Demonstration of toxin by mouse inoculation test
• Isolation of gram+ve bacilli in intestinal smear usually indicates enterotoxemia.

Differential Diagnosis:

1. Polioencephalomalacia (PEM):

• No pulpy kidney and isolation of epsilon toxin
• Cortical necrosis is evident

2. Hypomagnesemia:

• Sudden death, convulsion in grazing animals
• No kidney or brain lesion as in enterotoxemia

3. Listeriosis:

• Circling, head tilt and head pressing are evident.
• No pulpy kidney lesion is seen.

4. Rabies:

• Animals shows aggression before developing neurological signs
• History of bite of rabid animal
• Not sudden mass mortality

5. Lead poisoning:

• History of exposure to lead
• No pulpy kidney lesions
• Nervous signs, blindness

6. Pregnancy toxemia in sheep:

• Occurs in late gestation
• Neurological signs, ketone odor is evident
• Recumbency in affected sheep

Treatment:

• No satisfactory treatment is available due to rapid course of disease.
• In some cases, treatment is of no value due to severe effect of toxin.
• Oral antibiotics such as tetracycline, chlortetracycline and penicillin may be tried.

Control Measures:

• Calves, lambs should be immunized with antitoxin soon after birth to control disease.
• Two injections of toxoids are necessary at one month apart.
• Sudden changes in diet of animals should be avoided.
• Adequate forages; rough forages should be provided to slow intestinal transit.
• Excess grain or highly digestible carbohydrates should be restricted in animal.
• Dead carcass should be disposed of properly. It should be either buried or burnt properly to avoid environmental contamination.