Radiographic, Microbiologic, and Pathologic Study of Pneumonia in Imported Sheep and Goats

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the main pathogens involved in the pulmonary disorders, clinical signs, radiography, and pathological findings of imported sheep and goats. In the summer of 2019 during repeated visits to the livestock farms, digital radiographs were taken from the thoracic region of the animals that were clinically suspected of pneumonia complications. Afterward, samples were taken following necropsy from 40 cases that died owing to pneumonia, and eventually, lung samples were examined for microbiology and histopathology to isolate causative pathogens and diagnose the type of complication. Radiographically, increased thoracic opacity was evident in all studied animals. The visible pulmonary patterns were mainly the interstitial pattern and to a lesser extent the alveolar and bronchial patterns. The isolated bacteria in sheep were Pasteurella multocida (28.57%), Mannheimia haemolytica (21.43%), Mycoplasma genus (17.86%), Escherichia coli (14.29%), Corynebacterium ovis (7.14%), Arcanobacterium (7.14%), and Bacillus licheniformis (3.57%), and in goats were Mycoplasma genus (42.31%), Pasteurella multocida (19.23%), Mannheimia haemolytica (11.54%), Corynebacterium ovis (11.54%), Escherichia coli (7.70%), Arcanobacterium (3.84%), and Bacillus licheniformis (3.84%), respectively. Based on the histopathologic findings, pulmonary lesions of sheep and goats consisted of 37.5% fibrinosuppurative bronchopneumonia, 27.5% fibrinous bronchopneumonia, 25.0% purulent bronchopneumonia, and 10.0% interstitial pneumonia. Based on the evaluated parameters, in thoracic radiographs, the interstitial pattern was the dominant pulmonary pattern. Also, Pasteurella multocida, and Mycoplasma genus were the most common pathogens isolated in the sheep and goats respectively and fibrinosuppurative bronchopneumonia was the most prevalent pulmonary complication.

Keywords

• bronchopneumonia
• interstitial pattern
• mycoplasma genus
• pasteurella multocida
• small ruminant