Therapeutic Management of an Outbreak of Pasteurellosis in Sheep and Goats in Karnatka: A Case Report

Pasteurellosis caused by Pasteurella multocida is an acute septicaemic disease characterized by high morbidity and mortality in cattle, sheep, goat and poultry resulting in severe economic losses. Hemorrhagic septicaemia is endemic in mostparts of tropical Asia, Africa, and India and causes high mortality in livestock. Cattle and buffalo are the most common hosts, but pigs, sheep, goats, deer, and camels are also susceptible to infection and disease (Blackall et al., 2000).Vaccination with undefined, killed vaccines is practiced in areas where the disease is endemic and has reduced the incidence of disease, but the duration of immunity is short and significant outbreaks still occur(Verma and Jaiswal, 1998) and it iswidely considered that buffaloes are the more susceptible. Although outbreaks of hemorrhagic septicaemia have been reported in sheep, goats and swine, it is not a frequent or significant disease. In India, the disease normally assumes endemiccharacter just before and during the monsoon season. Transmission occurs by the inhalation or ingestion of the infected material. The most common manifestation is pneumonic pasteurellosis which occurs in all ages. Other manifestations includesepticaemic pasteurellosis in very young lambs which often occurs in association with pneumonic pasteurellosis in the same flock, systemic pasteurellosis in weaned lambs (Radostits et al., 2000).