Clinical Signs:
- Freely movable cutaneous nodules, especially on neck, legs, chest, face
- Nodules tends to ulcerate and undergoes alternating periods of discharge and closure.
- Affected lymph nodes becomes enlarged and hard.
- Skin covering nodules may become thick, indurated and fused
- Nodules are usually pyogranulomatous containing thick, creamy exudate and causative organism.
- Affected animals becomes weak and anorectic as disease progress.
- Lesion may heal spontaneously after 2-3 months, resulting in stellate scar formation.
- In pulmonary form, animals feel difficulty in breathing, coughing, nasal discharge and signs of pneumonia may be present.
Diagnosis:
- On basis of history and clinical findings
- Isolation of organism by culturing in agar media
- Microscopic examination of stained smears
- Serological testing; FAT, ELISA, Skin hypersensitivity test
Differential Diagnosis:
- Disease should be differentiated with farcy, ulcerative lymphangitis caused by Corneybacterium pseudotuberculosis, indolent ulcers caused by Rhodococcus equi, Sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix schenckii, Histoplasmosis, Cryptococcosis, Strangles and Cutaneous lymphosarcoma
Treatment:
- Antifungal drugs should be administered. Amphotericin-B or azole group of drugs are satisfactory in treatment.
- Some cases require iodide treatment
- In case of abscess formation, surgical excision is required to drain out abscess. After drainage, wound should be lavaged with dilute povidone iodine solution
- Topical antibiotics cream and keratolytic agents are applied to promote healing.
- For control of disease, biosecurity measures should be adopted. Affected animals should be isolated and insect vectors should be controlled in shed areas.
- Animals should be screened periodically for disease in endemic areas and animals tested positive should be isolated from rest of herd.