Experimental Pasteurella multocida pneumonia in calves

Pasteurella multocida was isolated from the lungs of calves that died on a farm in the south of England. This organism was inoculated experimentally into 13 calves by the intratracheal route: in all but two of the calves mild clinical disease resulted and at necropsy, three or four days later, pneumonic consolidation involving up to 22 per cent of the lung was observed. P multocida was isolated from all but two of the lungs. Of two calves inoculated intravenously with P multocida, one showed mild clinical disease and slight pneumonic consolidation at necropsy and the other remained normal. Control calves inoculated intratracheally and intravenously with sterile broth showed no signs of illness and no pneumonic consolidation. Histologically the lung lesions comprised a fibrinous bronchopneumonia with variable sized areas of coagulative necrosis, extensive deposition of fibrin and massive dilatation and oedema of the interlobular and pleural lymphatics. It is concluded that P multocida should receive more recognition as a primary pathogen.