Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

Lab Tests To Check The Post-mortem

Abnormalities

Inspection after slaughter of head, viscera and carcass. Inspection proceeds simultaneously with
slaughter and dressing.
Causes for condemnation:

• Whole carcass: tuberculosis (generalized lesions), hog cholera, pneumonia, abscesses,

caseous lymphadenitis, epithelioma (involvement of parotid lymph if ocular);
• Parts of carcass: abscesses, arthritis, bruises, contamination on the kill floor.

Procedures for beef -- examine head: SPAM lymph nodes, masseters, tongue; viscera: lungs,
liver, heart, paunch, intestines, spleen; carcass: linings of thoracic, abdominal and pelvic cavities,
outside surfaces, palpate kidneys.

Postmortem inspection should provide necessary information for the scientific evaluation of
pathological lesions pertinent to the wholesomeness of meat. Professional and technical
knowledge must be fully utilized by:

1. viewing, incision, palpation and olfaction techniques.

2. classifying the lesions into one of two major categories - acute or chronic.

3. establishing whether the condition is localized or generalized, and the extent of systemic
changes in other organs or tissues.

4. determing the significance of primary and systemic pathological lesions and their
relevance to major organs and systems, particularly the liver, kidneys, heart, spleen and
lymphatic system.

5. coordinating all the components of antemortem and postmortem findings to make a final
diagnosis.

6. submitting the samples to the laboratory for diagnostic support, if abattoir has holding and
refrigeration facilities for carcasses under detention.

Laboratory sampling of imported meat products is an important aspect of import meat inspection.
This is required to assure food safety and compliance. Laboratory examinations are necessary to
detect chemical residue substances, microorganisms, and to verify compliance to compositional
standards. Laboratory examinations are withdrawn from FULL INSPECTION shipments only.

Diseases caused by viruses

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174
 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

• Lumpy skin disease

• Foot and mouth disease (FMD, Aphthous fever)
• Rinderpest (RP)
• Vesicular stomatitis (VS)
• Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF)
• Rabies
• Bovine herpes dermophatic disease (BHD
• Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR)
• Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD
• Bovine leucosis
• Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, “Mad cow disease”)

Diseases caused by Rickettsia and Mycoplasma spp.

• Heartwater (Hydropericardium
• Q fever (Queensland fever, Nine mile fever, American Q fever, Australian Q fever)
• Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia

Diseases caused by bacteria

• Anthrax
• Black quarter (Black leg)
• Malignant edema
• Tuberculosis
• Johne's disease (Bovine paratuberculosis)
• Leptospirosis
• Brucellosis (contagious abortion, Bang's disease)
• Salmonellosis in bovine
• Haemorrhagic septicemia
• Actinobacillosis
• Actinomycosis (“Lumpy Jaw”)
• Metritis
• Mastitis

GENERAL PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

• Fever (Pyrexia)
• Inflammation in viral diseases
• Septicemia
• Toxaemia
• Pigmentation
• Melanosis
• Myocardial lipofuscinosis (Brown atrophy of the heart, Xanthosis)
• Icterus(Jaundice)
• Haemorrhage and Haematoma
• Bruises.
• Abscess
• Emaciation.

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174

 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

Diseases caused by viruses

Lumpy skin disease

Postmortem findings :

1. Ulcerative lesions in the mucosa of the respiratory and digestive tract

2. Reddish, haemorrhagic to whitish lesions in the lungs
3. Edema (interlobular) and nodules in the lungs (Fig. 53)
4. Heart lesion (endocardium)
5. Thrombosis of skin vessels followed by cutaneous infarction and sloughing.

Lab test
Confirmation of lumpy skin disease in a new area requires virus isolation and identification. Lamb
testicle or fetal bovine lung cell cultures are best for the growth of LSD virus. Microscopic
examination of cell cultures will indicate a characteristic cytopathic effect and intracytoplasmic
inclusion bodies. Pseudo lumpy skin disease, caused by a herpesvirus, produces syncytia and
intranuclear inclusion bodies in cell culture. Antigen testing can be done using direct immu-
nofluorescent staining, virus neutralization, or ELISA.

Fig. 53: Cut surface of the nodules in the parenchyma of the lung and interlobular edema

Rabies
Lab tests
The laboratory receives between 8,000 and 10,000 animal specimens annually for rabies testing.
Routine testing is done by direct fluorescent antibody staining. In addition to diagnostic testing, the
laboratory types all positive specimens by either monoclonal antibody staining, restriction digest
typing, or nucleotide sequencing to determine the strain of rabies virus present in the animal.
Typing information is used to follow the spread of rabies through animals and across the state.
This information has proven to be extremely useful in defining the vaccine drop zone for the Oral

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174

 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

Rabies Vaccination Program (ORVP) of wild animals in order to combat rabies epizootics in
coyotes in south Texas and foxes in west Texas.

Bovine leukosis
Bovine leukosis is a persistent and malignant viral disease of the lymphoreticular system. It occurs
in all breeds and in both sexes.Bovine leukosis is observed in two forms : a) the sporadic and b)
the enzootic form. The sporadic form is rare and occurs in cattle under three years of age. The
enzootic form is most commonly found in adult cattle, particularly in cull cows.

Postmortem findings:

1. Lymph node enlargement (clay-like consistency)

2. Enlargement of spleen (splenomegaly)
3. Thin watery blood
4. Neoplastic lesions in the heart (Fig. 60), intestines (Fig. 61) (Virtually all of the organs
may be involved.)
5. Ventral edema
6. Enlarged haemolymph nodes

Lab test
Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) is the etiologic agent of Enzootic Bovine Leukosis, a retrovirus
exogenous to the bovine species. Once infected, there is no detectable viraemia but instead there
is a strong and persistent immunological response to BLV structural proteins, essentially the gp51
envelope glycoprotein and the mayor core protein p24. We describe the test procedure of an
indirect ELISA (I-ELISA) using polyclonal reagents for the detection of antibodies to BLV. For
comparison, the sera were simultaneously tested by agar gel immunodiffussion (AGID) test, which
is currently used as diagnostic standard for BLV infection. The antigen applied does not require a
high degree of purification and the data from the analysis of the negative sera showed that the
establishment of a cut-off level corresponding to 3 times the standard deviation (SD) above the
mean for the negative control set of sera provided acceptable specificity, reducing the risk of false
positives results. A comparison of the results obtained by AGID test and I-ELISA showed that
considering a total of 465 serum samples, all of the 234 samples (50%) that were positive by
AGID were positive to the I-ELISA. Of 225 serum samples which yielded negative results in the
AGID test, 69 (15%) were found to be positive by the I-ELISA and 156 (33%) were negative by
both techniques. Few sera (2%) that were non-specific by AGID were defined as negative or
positive by I-ELISA.

Foot and mouth disease (FMD, Aphthous fever)

FMD is an acute viral and extremely contagious disease of cloven footed animals such as cattle,
sheep, goats, pigs and antelope. It is manifested by vesicles and erosions in the muzzle, nares,
mouth, feet, teats, udder and pillar of the rumen. There are three main strains of viruses causing
FMD, namely A, O and C. Three additional strains, SAT 1, SAT 2 and SAT 3 have been isolated
from Africa and a further strain ASIA-1 from Asia and the Far East.

Transmission: Direct and indirect contact with infected animals and their secretions including
saliva, blood, urine, faeces, milk and semen, aerosol droplet dispersion, infected animal by-
products, swill containing scraps of meat or other animal tissue and fomites and vaccines..

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174

 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

Postmortem findings :

1. Necrosis of heart muscle(tiger heart), usually only in young acutely infected

animals.
2. Ulcerative lesions on tongue, palate, gums, pillars of the rumen and feet.

Judgement : In countries or in zones within a country free or nearly free of FMD diseased or
suspect animals are prohibited to be admitted in an abattoir or slaughtered. If FMD is suspected
on postmortem examination the carcass and viscera are condemned and appropriate action
recommended by the regulatory authorities of the country must be taken. In countries where this
disease is present, the judgement should be in accordance with the current animal health
requirements, and consisted with effective public health protection. Particular attention should be
paid to secondary bacterial infections and general findings. Sanitary measures should be taken to
comply with national animal health policy.

Differential diagnosis in bovine and ovine species : Vesicular stomatitis, allergic stomatitis,
feedlot glossitis, photosensitization, bluetongue, rinderpest, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis,
malignant catarrhal fever, bovine papular stomatitis, bovine viral diarrhoea, pseudocowpox, ovine
pox, contagious ecthyma, footrot, mycotoxicosis and increased salt in concentrate.

B-Diseases caused by Rickettsia and Mycoplasma spp

Heartwater (Hydropericardium)
Postmortem findings :

1. Hydropericardium
2. Hydrothorax
3. Pulmonary edema and ascites
4. Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis
5. Enlarged liver, spleen and lymph nodes
6. Haemorrhage in the abomasum and intestine

Lab test
1. Demonstration of the Organism: The HW organism stains purplish-blue with Giemsa stain
and can be seen by microscopic examination of brain smears prepared as follows: A small piece
of cerebrum, cerebellum, hippocampus, or other well-vascularized portion of the brain is
macerated between two microscope slides. The resultant pulp is then drawn across a slide with
varying pressure, which results in "ridges and valleys" on the slide. The slide is then air-dried,
fixed with methanol, and stained with Giemsa. Under low magnification, the capillaries will be
found extending from the "thick" areas of the slide. Examination of the capillary endothelial cells
under oil immersion will reveal the blue to reddish-purple clumps of organisms . A rapid method
for obtaining brain tissue for examination is to drive a large nail through the unopened skull and
make a smear from the tissue adhering to the nail. The HW organisms can also be observed in

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174

 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

smears prepared from the intima of large blood vessels or in stained sections of kidney glomeruli
and lymph nodes.

Although microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained brain smears is still widely employed in HW

diagnosis, newer and more sensitive techniques such as the use of DNA probes (25) have been
applied to detect Cowdria nucleic acids in tissues of infected livestock and ticks. These newer
techniques should supplant the older methods of diagnosis as facilities and equipment become
more available in HW-enzootic areas.

2. Antibody Detection: The indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test has extensively been used for
HW antibody detection, and the newer competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
(CELISA) (10, 14) promises to be a useful addition to the meager array of tests available for the
detection of HW antibodies. The cross-reactions described with several Ehrlichia spp. can now be
eliminated with the use of more specific antigens and monoclonal antibodies.

Q fever
Lab Tests
Two types of tests can assist the diagnosis:

Immunological antibody response can be assessed using serology assays. Different laboratories
may use immunofluorescence (IF) assays, enzyme immunoassay (EIA) or complement fixation
(CF) based tests or combinations of these to detect different classes of antibodies to phases II
and I of Q fever bacteria. IF and CF tests may be reported as titres proportional to the amount of
antibody in a patient’s blood. Significant titres may take 3-4 weeks to appear so blood samples
should be taken initially during acute illness and then at least four weeks after the onset of the
disease.

Paradoxically, antibodies to the phase II organism are high in acute disease, and antibodies to the
phase I organism are raised in chronic disease. For acute Q fever, a four-fold rise in titre for
paired sera gives the highest specificity. Q fever serology results are often complex and should be
interpreted by a clinical microbiologist or infectious disease specialist.

The actual pathogen can be detected using molecular testing such as by using the polymerase
chain reaction or PCR. It holds the promise of timely diagnosis, since it should be positive before
antibodies are detectable. However, the average sensitivity of PCR performed on blood has been
low (~20%). PCR is much more sensitive on tissue samples such as heart valves, which
accumulate much higher concentrations of bacteria than serum.

Laboratory cultures of Q fever bacteria are very complex and dangerous and are not used for
diagnostic purposes.

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174

 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

C-Diseases caused by bacteria

Anthrax
Anthrax is a peracute disease of ruminants manifested with septicemia, sudden death and tarry
blood from the body openings of the cadaver. It is caused by Bacillus anthracis.

Transmission: Man may contract anthrax by inhalation, ingestion and through a wound in the
skin. Biting flies have been shown to be transmitters.

Postmortem findings:

1. Dark-tarry blood discharge from body orifices

2. Absence of rigor mortis
3. Haemorrhage of the mucous and serous membranes, lymph nodes and subcutaneous
tissue
4. Enlarged spleen
5. Severe haemorrhagic enteritis
6. Degeneration of the liver and kidneys
7. Bloating and rapid decomposition of carcass
8. Localized lesions in the intestine of pigs (dysentery)

Fig. 73: Anthrax. Toluidine blue stain. Bacillus anthracis in a bovine spleen. Anthrax bacilli in
tissue seen in short chains surrounded by a common capsule.

LAB TESTS
Anthrax tests fall into two categories: those for exposure and presence of anthrax in the
environment and those for infection. Nasal swab tests can reveal the presence of spores, and
thus exposure, but a positive test does not indicate infection. Even a person exposed to spores
will not become ill unless the spores germinate, a process that can take up to 60 days. Therefore,
nasal swabs are not recommended to document anthrax exposure or illness.

Anthrax infection is diagnosed by culturing the bacterium, using a specimen appropriate to the

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174

 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

form of the disease suspected (such as from blood, skin lesions, or respiratory secretions) or by
measuring antibodies in the blood. For inhalational anthrax, a chest X-ray can also be helpful, as
can a test of cerebrospinal fluid if signs of meningitis are present.

Culturing of a sample (from either an environmental source or a bodily fluid, such as blood) can
take several hours to several days. The specimen is incubated in artificial media, where the
bacteria can grow. (Click here for more about blood culture.) Conventional biochemical tests are
then performed to identify the bacteria, and susceptibility testing is done to select the best
antibiotic for therapy.

A rapid test that could potentially be used on both environmental and body fluid samples has been
developed. This test bypasses the need for culturing and detects the anthrax DNA directly. In
2001,the FDA approved this assay as an investigational test on human specimens.

Black quarter (Black leg)

Black quarter is an acute infectious disease of cattle and sheep manifested by severe
inflammation of the muscle with high mortality. It is caused by Clostridium chauvoei.

Postmortem findings :

1. Laying on one side with affected hind leg stuck out. Commonly seen in cattle
2. Bloating of carcass and blood stained frothy exudates from the nostrils and anus
3. Dark red to black muscle of the loin, back or leg (Fig. 66)
4. Spongelike bubbly appearance of the muscles with a peculiar rancid odour
5. Yellowish, gelatinous subcutaneous tissue and associated gas bubbles

Lab test
The main tissue sample for definitive diagnosis is the affected muscle, primarily skeletal muscle.
Cardiac muscle or liver can also be used.

Detection of the causative agent from a tissue sample is diagnostic. This procedure differs from
the diagnosis of botulism where the detection of the toxin(s) produced by the Clostridium
botulinum is crucial for the diagnosis. It should be taken into consideration that C. chauvoei is a
normal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal system and, therefore, the muscle from a suspected
animal should be sent to and examined in the laboratory no more than a few hours after its death.

Besides anamnesis, clinical signs, necropsy findings and isolation of C. chauvoei, the following
techniques are used for the definitive diagnosis of blackleg

• Fluorescent antibody test (FAT) (Fig. 1) that detects C. chauvoei in culture smears and
tissue impressions obtained directly during necropsy
• Immunohistochemistry (IHC) on histologic sections (Fig. 2) and/or smears of a culture
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifies the gene sequences that codify the 16sRNA,
16S-23SrDNA and 23SrDNA subunits.

Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is a chronic disease of many animal species and poultry caused by bacteria of the
genus Mycobacterium. It is characterized by development of tubercles in the organs of most

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174

 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

species. Bovine tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium bovis. It is a significant zoonotic

disease..

Postmortem findings:

1. Tuberculous granuloma in the lymph nodes of the head, lungs (Fig. 68), intestine and
carcass. These have usually a well defined capsule enclosing a caseous mass with a
calcified centre. They are usually yellow in colour in cattle, white in buffaloes and greyish
white in other animals.
2. Active lesions may have a reddened periphery and caseous mass in the centre of a lymph
node.
3. Inactive lesions may be calcified and encapsulated
4. Nodules on the pleura and peritoneum
5. Lesions in the lungs (Fig. 69), liver, spleen, kidney
6. Bronchopneumonia
7. Firmer and enlarged udder, particularly rear quarters

Lab test
Testing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis begins with a TB skin test for latent TB infection. This is
not used as a general screen, but is targeted at those who are at a high risk for contracting the
disease and at those who work or live with high-risk patients. The TB skin test may also be done
as part of a physical examination prior to starting school or a new job. Positive results may
indicate a latent TB infection, and should be followed by other tests such as chest X-rays to look
for signs of active disease.

Active Tuberculosis
To diagnose TB of the respiratory tract, 3 - 5 sputum specimens are collected first thing in the
morning when they are most likely to contain the most TB bacteria. If extrapulmonary TB is
suspected, samples are collected based upon where in the body the infection is likely to be.
Multiple samples of gastric washings/aspirates or urine may be collected and submitted to the
laboratory. Sometimes cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), biopsied tissue, or other body fluids are also
collected.

A presumptive diagnosis of TB can be made by examining a smear of the patient's specimen

under the microscope after it has been stained with a special stain to detect acid fast bacteria.
Positive AFB smears are likely to indicate a TB infection, since M. tuberculosis is the most
common acid-fast bacillus, but the smears cannot distinguish between the different species of
"acid-fast" bacilli.

A genetic probe or molecular TB test can add additional information. It amplifies/replicates genetic
components of TB and can narrow the identification to a group of mycobacteria (of which M.
tuberculosis is the most common). While AFB smears and genetic tests may be available the
same day that the samples are submitted, both positive and negative results must be confirmed
with AFB cultures.

AFB cultures are set up using decontaminated, digested, and concentrated body samples.
Nutrients and incubation provide a supportive environment for the slow growing mycobacteria.
The results of cultures are definitive: they can tell your doctor what organisms are present and
what drugs are likely to kill them but they take time - days to several weeks for positive samples,
up to six to eight weeks to confirm negative results.

Once M. tuberculosis has been identified and treatment has begun, AFB smears and cultures are
used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174

 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

Johne's disease (Bovine paratuberculosis)

Johne's disease is a chronic, infectious bacterial disease of adult wild and domestic ruminants
such as cattle, sheep, and goats. It is characterized by the thickening and corrugation of the wall
of the intestine, gradual weight loss and chronic diarrhoea and is caused by Mycobacterium
paratuberculosis.

Postmortem findings :

1. Thickened and corrugated intestinal mucosa.

2. Enlarged caecal lymph nodes

Lab Tests
Tests of cell mediated immunity (CMI) are desirable because cellular immunity develops earlier in
M. paratuberculosis infections than humoral immunity and often precedes fecal shedding. The
intrademal johnin, intravenous johnin, lymphocyte transformation and migration inhibition test
have all proved to be unsatisfactory for diagnosis of subclinical paratuberculosis because of poor
test sensitivity and specificity. The most recent test of CMI is the gamma interferon assay that was
originally developed for bovine tuberculosis and first described for paratuberculosis in 1988. This
test is a bioassay that detects the production of bovine interferon after sensitized peripheral blood
T lymphocytes are exposed to soluble M. paratuberculosis antigens. Limited pilot studies have
indicated this test may be useful in young animals. Several tests have been developed that
attempt to detect the host's humoral immune response to M paratuberculosis infection. In general,
to be useful serum antibody tests should be inexpensive, simple to Perform and easily automated,
rapid and accurate. Serum antibody tests that are no longer used because of poor test
performance are the radioimmunoassay, hemagglutination test, indirect fluorescent antibody test
and the indirect immuno-peroxidase test.

Complement Fixation (CF) Test

Many foreign countries require a negative CF test prior to importation. The National Veterinary
Services Laboratory (NVSL, Ames, Iowa) provides the antigen and positive control serum used in
the United States. The antigen provided by NVSL is a crude preparation derived from heat-killed
Mycobacterium tuberculosis and dried bovine intestinal mucosa. Research has shown that
complement fixing antibody appears relatively late in the course of M. paratuberculosis infections
in cattle and the appearance and intensity of the CF response is related to the rate of shedding
the organism in feces. In other words, CF positive cattle are the ones shedding the largest number
of bacteria. Due to the lack of test sensitivity, the CF test should not be used to screen cattle for
subclinical infection.

Agarose Gel lmmunodiffusion Test

Another common serological test is the agarose gel inununodiffusion (AGID) test, which is
commercially available in the United States (ImmuCell Corporation, Portland, Maine). In general,
the AGID test is highly specific and performs quite well for identification of clinically ill animals or
very heavy fecal shedders but should not be used as screening test to identify subclincially
affected animals because of low test sensitivity.

Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent (ELISA) Assay

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174

 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

The most recent serological test that has been developed for diagnosis of M. paratuberculosis
infection in cattle is the ELISA assay. ELISA technology is inexpensive, fast, sensitive, easily
automated and because results are expressed on a continuous scale, cutoffs can be changed to
alter the sensitivity and specificity of the test. In general, most JD ELISA tests use a crude antigen
preparation and preabsorb the test sera with Mycobacterium phlei to reduce non-specific
reactions. Preabsorption of the sera improves the specificity of the test and decreases the
sensitivity of the test in some herds. The ELLSA test is routinely used to screen herds of animals
to assess disease prevalence or test individual animals where the veterinarian suspects clinical
disease. Whenever possible ELISA results should be reported in a quantitative manner. This
improves the interpretive value of the results because as the ELISA values increase; the
probability or likelihood of infection and fecal shedding also increases. In addition, likelihood ratios
are not affected by disease prevalence.

Brucellosis (contagious abortion, Bang's disease)

Brucellosis of cattle is an infectious, contagious disease caused by Brucella abortus and is
characterized by abortion in late pregnancy and a high rate of infertility. B. melitensis affects
goats, B. ovis sheep and B. suis swine. B. abortus may occur in horses.

Lab Tests
Doctors usually confirm a diagnosis of brucellosis by testing a sample of blood or bone marrow.
Most tests for the disease have some drawbacks, but the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test,
which looks for the genetic material of the brucellosis bacteria, has certain advantages. It's quick,
it can be performed on any type of tissue, and it can provide results as soon as 10 days after
infection. Because PCR is fairly new, however, it's generally used in conjunction with other blood
tests.

To help detect complications of brucellosis, you may have additional tests, including:

 Urinalysis or urine culture. These tests look for brucellosis infection in the urinary
tract.

 Cerebrospinal fluid culture. This checks a small sample of the fluid that surrounds
your brain and spinal cord for infections such as meningitis and encephalitis.

 X-rays. X-rays can reveal arthritic changes in your bones and joints.

 Brain computerized tomography (CT) scan. This imaging test helps locate
inflammation or abscesses in the brain.

Salmonellosis in bovine
.Postmortem findings:

Septicemic form

1. Absence of gross lesions in animals

2. Submucosal and subserosal haemorrhage

Acute enteritis

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174

 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

3. Mucoenteritis to diffuse haemorrhagic enteritis

4. Severe necrotic enteritis of ileum and large intestine caused by S. typhimurium
5. Abomasitis in S. dublin infection
6. Enlarged, edematous and haemorrhagic lymph nodes
7. Thickened inflamed gall bladder wall
8. Fatty change of the enlarged liver
9. Subserous and epicardial haemorrhage

Chronic enteritis

10. Areas of necrosis in the wall of caecum and colon

11. Swollen mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen
12. Chronic pneumonia

In the septicemic and acute enteric forms, Salmonella organisms are present in the blood, liver,
bile, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes and in intestinal content. In the chronic form, bacteria is
present in the intestinal lesions and less frequently in other viscera.

Lab tests
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia can be diagnosed by virus isolation in cell cultures; appropriate cell
lines include BF–2 (Bluegill fry) and RTG–2 (Rainbow trout gonad) cells. EPC (Epithelioma
papulosum cyprini) and FHM (fathead minnow) cells can also be used, but are less susceptible to
infection by freshwater European strains. EPC cells are the preferred cell line in North America.
Virus identity is confirmed by virus neutralization, immunofluorescence (IFA), an enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay or a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–based assay.
Viral antigens can also be identified directly in tissues, particularly the kidney and spleen, by
immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry or ELISA. PCR can also be used.

Serology by virus neutralization or ELISA may be effective in detecting carriers, but has not yet
been validated for routine diagnosis.

Haemorrhagic septicemia
Postmortem findings:

1. Subcutaneous swellings characterized with yellowish gelatinous fluid especially around

the throat region, brisket and perineum
2. Enlarged haemorrhagic lymph nodes
3. Haemorrhage in the organs
4. Pneumonia (Fig. 74)
5. Rarely haemorrhagic gastroenteritis
6. Petechial haemorrhage in the serous membranes which are extensive in some cases

Lab test
Isolation of a small gram-negative rod or coccobacillus in pure or nearly pure culture with the
general colonial appearance of a Pasteurella species from an animal with typical signs is grounds
to suspect hemorrhagic septicemia. If there has been postmortem decomposition with the
presence of extraneous bacteria, the inoculation of mice and rabbits with blood or suspensions of
tissues will facilitate recovery of the pasteurellae of hemorrhagic septicemia in pure or nearly pure
culture. Both mice and rabbits are highly susceptible to the two serotypes B:2 and E:2. Definitive

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 Dr Usama UVAS Lahore

diagnosis depends upon the identification of the cultures as P. multocida and the subsequent
identification of serotype B:2 or E:2. Because several different serotypes of P. multocida that do
not produce classical hemorrhagic septicemia occur in cattle, it is necessary to serotype the
isolate..

Serologic procedures for the detection of specific antibody are not used in diagnosis.

Usama Tayyab DVM Pakistan 092-334-7523174