Purulent Meningitis Due to Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli with Omphalitis in a Neonatal Japanese Black Calf

Abstract

A Japanese Black calf was born with normal calving but exhibited lethargy and anorexia and died at two days old. At necropsy, no obvious lesions were seen in the umbilical cord, but histologically omphalitis and meningitis from the cerebrum to the medulla oblongata were seen. Bacteriological examination was performed on the heart, lung, liver, spleen, kidney and cerebrum but not the umbilical cord, and extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) was isolated from all of them. O-genotyping PCR on ExPEC isolates from the cerebrum and lung, revealed Og15 gene positive. Immunohistochemistry showed Escherichia coli O15 antigen consistent with lesions in from the cerebrum to the medulla oblongata and umbilical cord. Based on those, it was diagnosed as purulent meningitis due to ExPEC with omphalitis. If meningitis is suspected in a neonatal calf, the umbilical cord should be examined even without macroscopic abnormalities.