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Neisseria cuniculi in ruminants: epidemiological aspects
D Elad1, S Shlomovitz, M Bernstein
1Department of Bacteriology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit-Dagan, Israel.
Epidemiology and Infection
|December 1, 1990
Summary
Neisseria cuniculi is a significant cause of respiratory disease in young ruminants. This study found high prevalence in crossbred sheep, suggesting a link to respiratory pathology susceptibility.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Microbiology
- Animal Pathology
- Ruminant Health
Background:
- Neisseria cuniculi is increasingly recognized as a pathogen.
- Respiratory diseases pose significant challenges in small and large ruminants.
- Previous reports on N. cuniculi in ruminant respiratory disease are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the involvement of Neisseria cuniculi in multiple cases of respiratory disease in ruminants.
- To assess the prevalence of N. cuniculi in the pharyngeal region of various sheep and goat breeds.
- To investigate the correlation between N. cuniculi prevalence and breed susceptibility to respiratory pathology.
Main Methods:
- Bacterial isolation and identification of Neisseria cuniculi from cases of respiratory disease.
- Pharyngeal swabs collected from purebred and crossbred sheep and goats.
- Prevalence survey using chi-squared test for statistical analysis.
Main Results:
- Neisseria cuniculi was isolated from 38 cases of respiratory disease in ruminants.
- High isolation rates (80-88%) of N. cuniculi were observed in ruminants under 1 month of age.
- Significantly higher prevalence (79.3%) of N. cuniculi was found in crossbred older animals compared to purebreds (20.5%).
Conclusions:
- Neisseria cuniculi is implicated in multiple respiratory disease cases in ruminants.
- Crossbred ruminants exhibit higher susceptibility to N. cuniculi colonization, coinciding with respiratory pathology.
- This study provides the first comprehensive survey of N. cuniculi prevalence in small ruminants.