Isolation of Mannheimia varigena from Premature Newborn Calf with Septicemia

Abstract

A premature newborn Japanese Black Cattle calf showed astasia and sudden death within 24 hours, on Kohama Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, on July 2007. Mannheimia spp. were isolated from the major organs in pure culture. M. haemolytica were initially identified according to the phenotypic characterization. The isolates were untypeable by indirect haemagglutination test with M. haemolytica serotype antisera. The strains identification was further confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis, and the isolates were finally identified as M. varigena. This is the first report of cattle septicemia associated with M. varigena in Japan.