Retrospective studies of bacillary hemoglobinuria diagnosed in cattle from Buenos Aires province, Argentina

Abstract

Bacillary hemoglobinuria (BH) is an acute infectious disease caused by Clostridium haemolyticum, predisposed by different factors and affecting mainly cattle. In this work a retrospective study of bovine BH was performed with the data registered at the Veterinary Diagnostic Service in INTA Balcarce during 1969-2015 and cases reported by private practitioners through the Professional Interaction Programme of the South Buenos Aires Regional Center of INTA during 2001-2007. A marked seasonality during the winter time and an association with advanced pregnancy (88% of the cases) were registered. Fasciolosis is one of the predisposing factors commonly included in the international bibliography. However, only 15.9 % of bovine BH cases analyzed in this work were associated with this parasitosis. In 47.9 % of the affected herds, animals had previously received two doses of BH vaccines. BH is an endemic and insidious disease in certain regions of Argentina. Scarce information about the situation of the disease is available and evident failure in the control measures is reported in this work. These factors demonstrate the difficulties in the prevention and control of the bovine BH and should be further studied.