2001 Volume 54 Issue 7 Pages 543-545
Necropsy performed on a suddenly deceased head of beef cattle (19 months old) revealed multiple, walnutsized, clearly outlined, yellowish nodules in the liver with marked systemic icterus. Histopathology showed the nodules to consist of coagulative necrosis containing numerous gram-negative, filamentous bacteria and peripheral inflammatory cells.Fusobacterium necrophorumwas isolated from the liver in a pure culture, and 2.8×108CFU per gram ofClostridiurn perfringenswas isolated from the jejunal contents. On the basis of these findings, the disease was diagnosed as hepatic necrobacillosis, and the nodular lesions of which were considered to be the initial stage of hepatic abscesses. In the present case, icterus and the proliferation ofC. perfringensin the small intestine may relate to the sudden death.
