Campylobacter

• A farmer of a 50-herd dairy operation reports that his cows are difficult to get "settled" and there have been several abortions at the 5th or 6th month.
• The farmer had his own bull, which he acquired about 6 months previously.
• The cows' estrous cycles were irregular, with long cycles occurring in a larger than expected number of animals.
• The farmer thought that some of his cows had been successfully bred, but they came into heat again in 2-3 months.
• The overall conception rate on the farm was only about 40%, whereas it had earlier been around 80%.
• Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus, C. jejuni, C. upsaliensis, and C. fetus subsp. venerealis are potential pathogens of the upper gastrointestinal tract.
• Campylobacter are genital and gastrointestinal pathogens/commensals, some of which are potential pathogens of the upper gastrointestinal tract.
• Campylobacter are helminth-like, with a curved, comma, spiral, and seagull-shaped rods morphology.
• Campylobacter species and subspecies include 18 species, with pathogenic species such as C. fetus ss. fetus causing septicemia and abortion, C. fetus ss. venerealis causing venereal transmission, and C. jejuni causing diarrhea and enterocolitis.
• Campylobacter fetus ss fetus causes abortion in cattle and sheep, which is known as vibriosis in sheep, and is transmitted by ingestion of infected materials, with no venereal transmission.
• Campylobacter fetus ss fetus is diagnosed by isolation and identification or by fluorescence antibody of cotyledon smears.
• Campylobacter jejuni etc are zoonotic enteritis, bovine mastitis, contagious ovine abortion and infectious hepatitis in chickens, with low numbers of organisms necessary for infection.
• Other pathogenic species include Legionella intracellularis, Aeromonas butsleri, Campylobacter upsaliensis etc.
• Campylobacter fetus ss fetus is the same as Campylobacter fetus intestinalis.
• Venerealis is an obligate parasite and venereal transmission is a method of transmission.
• Venerealis is identified by "O" and "S-layer" cell wall antigens and is used for vaccination for therapy and prophylaxis.
• Serotype-specific vaccines are available for Campylobacter fetus ss fetus.
• Treatment options for Campylobacter infections include control through culling and artificial insemination.
• Vibrio cholera, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, and Vibrio alginolyticus are types of Vibrio.
• Venerealis causes reduced conception and early abortion in cows.
• Several diagnostic techniques are used for Venerealis, but serum agglutination is not reliable as it is non-specific.
• Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis is an obligate parasite of the bovine genital tract, with venereal transmission, and infection can lead to placenta and fetus infection, metritis, infertility, and bacteria shedding from the uterus.
• Following transmission, the bacteria colonize the female reproductive tract in an ascending manner: moving from the vagina, to the cervix, uterus, and oviducts.
• Diagnosis of jejuni infections is done using selective medium such as Skirrow’s and incubating at 42°C; microaerophilic.
• Treatment for Campylobacter infections usually involves supportive care for enteritis and use of antimicrobials such as Erythromycin or Clindamycin, Gentamicin, Tylocin, Tetracyclines, and Cephalosporins.
• Species associated with gastritis in cats include H. felis, H. canis, H. pylori, and “H. heilmannii”.
• Clinical symptoms of Helicobacter infections include vomiting, regurgitation, abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea, weight loss, malaise, and poor condition.
• Species associated with gastritis in dogs include H. bilis, H. felis, H. canis, H. pylori, “H. heilmannii”, and “H. heilmanii”.
• Arcobacter infections are treated with Tetracyclines.
• Clinical signs of jejuni infections include fever, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and blood in feces.
• Helicobacter species, including H. pylori, H. felis, “H. heilmanii”, and H. salomonis, can cause enteritis, gastritis, and ulcers in humans and animals.
• Both H. hepaticus and H. bilis are the only documented animal pathogens in this genus and can decimate rodent research colonies and breeding facilities.
• Control of Campylobacter infections includes meticulous hygiene in kennels and catteries, removal of aborted materials, culling of carrier bulls, maintaining a clean environment, and use of bacterins.
• Serology is not reliable for diagnosing jejuni infections.
• Multiplex PCR based diagnosis is an excellent method for diagnosing jejuni infections.
• Helicobacter species are identified in animals through gastric and enterohepatic species.
• Clinical signs of bovine genital campylobacteriosis include endometritis within 2 weeks of exposure and a reduced conception rate resulting in "Repeat Breeders".
• Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis has virulence, with a proteinaceous micro-capsule present, called the S-layer (surface array proteins), which makes the bacterium serum-resistant and phagocytosis-resistant through inhibition of complement binding (C3b) and blocking binding of LPS antibody.
• Transmission of Fetus venerealis occurs through ingestion of infectious material and contaminated feed and water, with no venereal transmission.
• Bacterins are available for vaccination against Fetus venerealis.