Detection of an Outbreak of Bacillary Haemoglobinuria in a Herd of Goats in Sri Lanka Through Combined Microbiological and Histopathological a Pproach

A recent disease outbreak experienced in a goat herd in Sri Lanka with the clinical signs of fever, anaemia and haemoglobinuria, along with histopathological evidence of hepatic necrosis, revealed a severe and fatal Clostridium novyi infection. Clostridium is a Gram positive, motile, obligate anaerobe that produces endospores. Pathogenesis of C. novyi infection is based upon germination of spores in the damaged liver tissues under the anaerobic environment created by parasitic infections in liver or other predisposing factors of liver damage, and production of toxins. Salient lesion of both characteristically similar C. novyi type D and C. novyi type B infections is hepatic necrosis, but haemolysis due to beta toxin is largely produced by C. novyi type D, leading to haemoglobinaemia and haemoglobinuria. Therefore, the current outbreak in goats with C. novyi infection is indicative of bacillary haemoglobinuria. The diagnosis was established based on epidemiological findings, clinical history, gross necropsy lesions, histopathology and bacteriology.