Oedematous skin disease: a recurring infection in buffaloes

ABSTRACT

Eighteen Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis were isolated from 30 specimens [9 biopsies from closed skin lesions and 21 exudate specimens from open lesions] collected from 27 buffalos with symptoms of skin infection. C. pseudotuberculosis was isolated in pure cultures from 6 out of 9 biopsies and in mixed cultures from 12 out of 21 exudate specimens. The majority of isolates were of biotype II [15 isolates], whereas only 3 isolates were of biotype I. The pattern of isolation of both biotypes I and II from biopsies and exudate specimens was similar. Both biotypes I and II differed in their course of pathogenicity in G. pigs. C. pseudotuberculosis was not isolated from blood suckling and biting flies [236 files] existed on the infected animals and in their premises. This might rule out the role of vectors in transmission of infection. In-vitro antibiotic sensitivity testing revealed that C. pseudotuberculosis isolates were most sensitive to penicillin 89%, amoxycillin 89%, erythromycin 83%, chloramphenicol 78% and ampicillin 78%. The histological examination of skin biopsies from the diseased buffalos showed inflammatory reaction due to the bacterial infection