AN EXAMPLE OF CLINICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICA L MONITORING OF RESPIRATORY-DISEASES IN YOUNG CATTLE - ITS ROLE IN IMPROVING MANAGEMENT OF THE THERAPEUTIC REGIMEN

The authors have carried out a study under field conditions in order t o define the etiology of spontaneous cases of EIP affecting young catt le on 9 farms. Bacteriological examinations were carried out on sample s of tracheo-bronchial exudates collected by trans-tracheal aspiration (TTA). Virological diagnosis was performed on combined sera collected at 21-day intervals. Each male calf included in the sample was subjec ted to standardized clinical examination on days 1, 3, 5 and 21. This study also provided an assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of a lon g-acting oxytracycline-based drug (Oxyter L.A., Distrivet) in the trea tment of these diseases. The results once more confirmed the multifact orial nature of EIP and the importance of the viral component (8 farms out of 9). TTA of tracheo-bronchial mucus is the most easy-to-use and most reliable way of sampling for bacteriological examinations. A sin gle injection of a long-action oxytetracycline base drug may be suffic ient to prevent bacterial surinfections of viral respiratory diseases. For the definitive cure of cases of EIP due to major pathogens like P . haemolytica a second injection is necessary. Particularly when the i solated strain have high MIC.