AN OUTBREAK OF BACILLARY HEMOGLOBINURIA IN SHEEP IN INDIA

An outbreak of bacillary haemoglobinuria was recorded in 60 out of 110 sheep in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. The condition was clinically charac terised by fever, haemoglobinuria, constipation, weakness of hind quar ters followed by recumbency, respiratory distress and death in 16 shee p. Haematological studies revealed moderate to severe degrees of anaem ia associated with leucocytosis. Plasma gamma-glutamyl transferase, al kaline phosphatase and creatinine phosphokinase activities were signif icantly higher in haemoglobinuric sheep. Babesiosis and copper poisoni ng were ruled out on stained blood film examination and from blood min eral profiles, respectively. Post-mortem examination of affected sheep revealed no gross changes. Pure cultures of Clostridium haemolyticum isolated from heart blood, liver, kidney and spleen of freshly killed sheep confirmed the disease. Parenteral administration of procaine pen icillin was effective in the treatment of affected sheep.