Urocystitis and Ureteritis in Holstein Calves with Septicaemia Caused by Salmonella enterica Serotype Dublin

Abstract

Salmonellosis is an enteric or multisystemic disease of global distribution that affects numerous animal species. Although Salmonella enterica has been associated with urinary tract lesions in man, information on urocystitis/ ureteritis in cattle caused by salmonellae is lacking. This communication describes lesions of the inferior urinary tract in four Holstein calves with septicaemia caused by S. enterica subsp. enterica serotype Dublin. Examination of the urinary bladder revealed either diffuse irregular thickening (three cases) or petechiation (one case) of the mucosa. On histopathological examination, urocystitis with submucosal histiocytic, lymphocytic and plasmacytic infiltration and neutrophil transmigration through the urothelium was noted in all cases. In one case, a fibrinosuppurative ureteritis was detected. Salmonella Dublin was identified by culture, 16S rDNA sequencing and serotyping and Salmonella antigen was detected intralesionally by immunohistochemistry. Other lesions, indicative of septicaemia included hepatitis, enteritis, pericarditis, splenitis, lymphadenitis and pneumonia. We conclude that S. Dublin can be uropathogenic in cattle with septicaemia.

Salmonellosis in calves without intestinal lesions

“…Cattle from one to three months of age were the most frequently affected, accounting for 80% of all cases. Similar data were observed in cattle from other regions of Brazil (Marques et al 2013), Uruguay (Costa et al 2018) and the United States (Pecoraro et al 2017). Documentation of salmonellosis is more common in dairy cattle (Radostits et al 2007); however, in the present study, it was observed in both dairy and beef calves.…”

“…This nonproper submission of material for diagnosis is not restricted to cases of salmonellosis and is frequently observed in many veterinary diagnostic laboratories (Lucena et al 2010, Souza et al 2015. The use of IHC for the diagnosis of salmonellosis is described in sheep (Dagleish et al 2010), horses (Juffo et al 2017), swine (Watanabe et al 2011), turkeys (Beyaz et al 2010) and cattle (Pecoraro et al 2017, Costa et al 2018. In all analyzed materials in the present study, there was positive immunoreactivity in the liver and lung.…”

“…Reports describing the epidemiology, clinical and pathological aspect and laboratory diagnosis of septicemic salmonellosis in calves are frequent (Hall & Jones 1977, Loeb et al 2006, Marques et al 2013, Costa et al 2018. However, we were unable to find published documentation of the historical series of this disease addressing all of the previously mentioned aspects simultaneously.…”

Outbreak investigation of septicemic salmonellosis in calves

“…The necrosis and slough of the tail tips and ear that were observed in some calves of this report are chronic changes of septicemic salmonellosis, possibly resulting from immunomediated host reactions [9]. The necropsy and histopathological findings were similar to those observed in outbreaks previously described [1,10,11,13].…”

“…The diagnosis of septicemic salmonellosis was based on clinical and pathological findings and confirmed through microbiological culture and identification of S. Dublin by the PCR technique. The diagnosis followed the criteria recommended by others [9][10][11].…”