CONTAGIOUS BOVINE

PYELONEPHRITIS

Dr. Muhammad Avais

Department of Veterinary Medicine
UVAS, Lahore
■Specific, Sporadic Disease of Cattle

■Purulent Inflammation of the Bladder,

Ureters & Kidney(s)
Etiology
■Corynebacterium renale

■three serotypes
■ types I and III ---- most pathogenic.
■ facultatively anaerobic, Gram positive 
■non-encapsulated, non-sporulated, immobile,
straight or curved rods
Etiology
■Piliated forms

■ important in attachment to epithelium

■the pili contain an antigenic protein which causes

the inflammation of the bladder tissue
Etiology
■Corynebacterium pilosum and Corynebacterium
cystitidis ----- normal flora of vulva

■Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis

■Arcanobacterium pyogenes

■Actinobacillus equuli
Etiology
■Escherichia coli
■Staphylococcus aureus

■E. coli is considered a separate cause of

pyelonephritis in the cow.
■C. renale --- little resistance to physical or
chemical agents
■ survive in soil for at least 56 days.
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Occurrence
■Worldwide
■seldom constitutes an important problem in any
herd or area
■clinical cases are sporadic
■considered to be essentially a bovine disease
■sheep are occasionally affected
EPIDEMIOLOGY
■More common in females
■Recall anatomy
■Prone to injury during parturition/breeding
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Source of infection

■urine of affected or carrier animals, rodents

■Semen of infected bulls

■vagina or vaginal vestibule of healthy cows

■dust and environment of infected animals

EPIDEMIOLOGY
Transmission
■direct contact
■ use of contaminated brushes
■ careless use of catheters
■venereally.
■isolated from the prepuce, urethra and semen of
bulls
■cause of balanoposthitis in bulls
 Pathogenesis

■develops as ascending infection

■urethra Bladder ureters kidneys

■urethral trauma / urine stasis facilitate ascending
infection

■ destruction of renal tissue / obstruction of urinary outflow

■uremia and death

 Clinical Findings
■Early signs vary case to case
■first sign------bloodstained urine

■attack of acute colic

■swishing of tail
■ treading of the feet

■kicking at the abdomen

Clinical Findings
■straining to urinate

■Due to obstruction of ureter or renal

calyx by pus or tissue debris

■confused with acute intestinal

obstruction.
Clinical Findings
■most obvious sign---presence of blood, pus,
mucous and tissue debris in the urine

■Urination is frequent

■ may occur in dribble rather than a stream

■Painful urination
Clinical Findings
RECTAL EXAM
■early stages, rectal examination negative

■later ---- ---thickening and contraction of bladder

wall

■enlargement of one or both ureters

Clinical Findings

■Ultrasound
■ reduction in renal pelvis diameter
■ reduction in renal parenchyma
■bladder wall hyperechoic
■course ----- several weeks or even months
■terminal signs are those of uremia
Diagnosis
■Clinical signs

■Physical examination

■Urinalysis

■Urine culture & sensitivity

Clinical Pathology

■ proteinuria and hematuria

■ urine pH is greater than 8.5

■specific gravity between 1.008 and 1.021

■Microscopic examination show pyuria
■Urine culture
Clinical Pathology
■elevated serum creatinine and urea

■ concentrations above 1.5 mg/dL and 100 mg/dL,

respectively carry a grave prognosis

■ultrasound
Necropsy findings
■kidneys enlarged

■lobulation less evident than normal

■renal calyces and grossly enlarged ureters contain

blood, pus and mucous

■bladder and urethra are thick walled

Treatment
■Antimicrobial therapy
■Urine culture & sensitivity
■Gram (+) or gram (-)
■Recall nephrotoxicity of certain drugs
■Long term (3 to 5 weeks)
Treatment
■C. renale
■penicillin antibiotic of choice
■Large doses (22000 IU/kg IM bid) 3 weeks
■Trimethoprim-sulfadoxin (16mg/kg bid)
E. coli
■ Ceftiofur (1.1–2.2 mg/kg/day, IM) or gentamicin (2.2
mg/kg, IM, bid) for ≥3 wk

■ ampicillin,cephalosporins, quinolones, chloramphenicol, te
tracyclines, cefuroxime and
Treatment
■Surgery
■Nephrectomy if disease is unilateral
■Slaughter
■Euthanasia
Control and Prevention
■No specific control measures

■isolation of affected animals

■destruction of infected litter and bedding
■reduce population of organism in local
environment
■minimize opportunity for transmission
Control and Prevention
■urinary catheterization should be avoided

■Routine vaginal examination should be conducted

with proper hygienic cautions.