Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

Blackleg

The disease in brief

Infection of skeletal muscles and heart muscle with production of Clostridium Chaui toxin; the disease evolves in a contagious form in farms where the soil harbors the bacterium. Morbidity is variable but lethality is 100%

Clinic & diagnosis

A muscle is swollen, painful or hard on palpation (particularly the muscles of the croup), a muscle deformed by swelling (more or less painful), painful edema on a limb (excluding the joint) raises suspicion of the disease if there is plus one of the following:

-The problem progresses to death within a few hours

-Or The diseased area is insensitive, cold, as if dead, or a sensation of gaseous crepitation is perceived on palpation

-Or one perceives heat or pain on palpation of the diseased area with fever

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

–Malignant edema MC20

-Anthrax (Anthrax/Anthrax) N342

-Phlegmon (under the skin) CH2

-Fracture of an LC33 limb

Confirm a suspicion?

A puncture or aspiration of infected liquid makes it possible to ask the bacteriologist for a culture including anaerobes which will isolate the bacterium in question.

Prognosis and treatment

The prognosis is still grim. A emergency treatment by in situ injection of penicillin

Incision and irrigation of the infected area with hydrogen peroxide

Prevention

- When the disease is rife, remove the herd from pastures at risk, carry out an emergency vaccination of cattle over 3 weeks old, at the same time as a penicillin-based treatment

- Preventively: Vaccination of young people from 6 months to 2 years old essential in risk areas with vaccines containing Clostridium Chaui; calves can be vaccinated from 3 weeks if the risk is high.

References

Veterinary Medicine-Pocket companion -9th Edition BLOOD DC-page 292