Abstract
Abortion and death caused by Francisella tularensis were well recognized in range flocks of domestic sheep in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming in the first 6 decades of the 20th century. The current report describes 4 episodes of tularemia in 3 range flocks in Wyoming and South Dakota in 1997 and 2007 (1 flock was affected twice). Flock owners reported that ticks were unusually numerous and commonly present on sheep during outbreaks. Tularemia presented as late-term abortions (3 episodes) or listlessness and death in lambs and, to a lesser extent, ewes (1 episode). Lesions were multifocal pinpoint necrotic foci in tissues, particularly spleen, liver, and lung. An immunohistochemical procedure demonstrated F. tularensis, particularly in necrotic foci. The diagnosis was corroborated by bacterial isolation and, in individual cases, by serology, fluorescent antibody assay, and/or polymerase chain reaction detection of F. tularensis. Diagnosticians in endemic areas should include tularemia as a differential diagnosis when investigating late-term abortions or outbreaks of fatal illness in young lambs, particularly in years of high tick activity and when characteristic necrotic foci occur in spleen, liver, and lung.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 508-513 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| State | Published - Jul 1 2008 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Abortion
- Diagnosis
- Francisella tularensis
- Immunohistochemistry
- Sheep
- South Dakota
- Tularemia
- Wood tick
- Wyoming
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- veterinary(all)
Cite this
Tularemia in range sheep : An overlooked syndrome? / O'Toole, Donal; Williams, Elizabeth S.; Woods, Leslie; Mills, Kenneth; Boerger-Fields, Amy; Montgomery, Donald L.; Jaeger, Paula; Edwards, William H.; Christensen, Dwayne; Marlatt, William.
In: Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, Vol. 20, No. 4, 01.07.2008, p. 508-513.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Tularemia in range sheep
T2 - An overlooked syndrome?
AU - O'Toole, Donal
AU - Williams, Elizabeth S.
AU - Woods, Leslie
AU - Mills, Kenneth
AU - Boerger-Fields, Amy
AU - Montgomery, Donald L.
AU - Jaeger, Paula
AU - Edwards, William H.
AU - Christensen, Dwayne
AU - Marlatt, William
PY - 2008/7/1
Y1 - 2008/7/1
N2 - Abortion and death caused by Francisella tularensis were well recognized in range flocks of domestic sheep in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming in the first 6 decades of the 20th century. The current report describes 4 episodes of tularemia in 3 range flocks in Wyoming and South Dakota in 1997 and 2007 (1 flock was affected twice). Flock owners reported that ticks were unusually numerous and commonly present on sheep during outbreaks. Tularemia presented as late-term abortions (3 episodes) or listlessness and death in lambs and, to a lesser extent, ewes (1 episode). Lesions were multifocal pinpoint necrotic foci in tissues, particularly spleen, liver, and lung. An immunohistochemical procedure demonstrated F. tularensis, particularly in necrotic foci. The diagnosis was corroborated by bacterial isolation and, in individual cases, by serology, fluorescent antibody assay, and/or polymerase chain reaction detection of F. tularensis. Diagnosticians in endemic areas should include tularemia as a differential diagnosis when investigating late-term abortions or outbreaks of fatal illness in young lambs, particularly in years of high tick activity and when characteristic necrotic foci occur in spleen, liver, and lung.
AB - Abortion and death caused by Francisella tularensis were well recognized in range flocks of domestic sheep in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming in the first 6 decades of the 20th century. The current report describes 4 episodes of tularemia in 3 range flocks in Wyoming and South Dakota in 1997 and 2007 (1 flock was affected twice). Flock owners reported that ticks were unusually numerous and commonly present on sheep during outbreaks. Tularemia presented as late-term abortions (3 episodes) or listlessness and death in lambs and, to a lesser extent, ewes (1 episode). Lesions were multifocal pinpoint necrotic foci in tissues, particularly spleen, liver, and lung. An immunohistochemical procedure demonstrated F. tularensis, particularly in necrotic foci. The diagnosis was corroborated by bacterial isolation and, in individual cases, by serology, fluorescent antibody assay, and/or polymerase chain reaction detection of F. tularensis. Diagnosticians in endemic areas should include tularemia as a differential diagnosis when investigating late-term abortions or outbreaks of fatal illness in young lambs, particularly in years of high tick activity and when characteristic necrotic foci occur in spleen, liver, and lung.
KW - Abortion
KW - Diagnosis
KW - Francisella tularensis
KW - Immunohistochemistry
KW - Sheep
KW - South Dakota
KW - Tularemia
KW - Wood tick
KW - Wyoming
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=54549084433&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=54549084433&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
VL - 20
SP - 508
EP - 513
JO - Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation
JF - Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation
SN - 1040-6387
IS - 4
ER -