Hemorrhagic septicemia in fallow deer (Dama dama) caused by Pasteurella multocida multocida

Four outbreaks of hemorrhagic septicemia caused by Pasteurella multocida mu ltocida occurred in a population of 1,800 fallow deer (Dama dama) during 19 92-1946. A total of 340 fallow deer were submitted for postmortem examinati on. Pasteurellosis was diagnosed in 273 of 312 deer suspected of having sep ticemia. Pasteurella multocida was isolated from 257 animals, and the diagn osis was based on typical pathologic changes alone in the other 16 animals. Pasteurella multocida was isolated in pure culture from 219 of 248 samples of cerebrospinal fluid. Eighteen animals were observed moribund with sever e depression, foamy nasal discharge, and respiratory distress, and 257 were found dead. Major clinical signs and pathologic changes included extensive swelling of the head and the neck and peracute or acute septic pneumonia, petechial and ecchymotic hemorrhages on serous membranes, and severely hemo rrhagic adrenal glands and abomasum. Rhinitis and necrotic pharyngeal mucos ae were common. Histologically, the most advanced lesions were in the nasal mucosa and pharynx. The swelling of the head and the neck arose from a dif fuse cellulitis in the subcutaneous and intermuscular tissues. The earliest lesions in the lungs included large numbers of bacteria in the pulmonary c apillaries, but various degrees of fibrinous exudation to the alveoli and i nfiltration with heterophils usually were observed.