Encephalitic listeriosis in a Korean native goat (Capra hircus)

Kim, Ha-Young; Bae, You-Chan; Jung, Byeong-Yeal; Lee, Kyung-Hyun; Byun, Jae-Won; Yoon, Soon-Seek; Lee, O-Soo

Korean Journal of Veterinary Research 2006;46(2):143-147.

Ha-Young Kim, You-Chan Bae, Byeong-Yeal Jung, Kyung-Hyun Lee, Jae-Won Byun, Soon-Seek Yoon, O-Soo Lee

National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service

흑염소의 뇌염형 리스테리아증 발생 예

김하영, 배유찬, 정병열, 이경현, 변재원, 운순식, 이오수

국립수의과학검역원

Abstract

This paper describes a naturally occurring case of meningoencephalitis associated with Listeria monocytogenes in a 4 month-old Korean native goat. The goat was raised in a herd consisting of seventy goats, and fed on straw and leftover vegetables including onions, cauliflower, and bean sprouts. The clinical symptoms of the goat were depression, in appetence, anorexia, circling, and recumbency before death. No conspicuous gross lesions were found except consolidation of the lung. Histopathologically, severe multifocal microabscesses and perivascular cuffings were observed in the brain stem and mid brain. In addition, mild nonsuppurative meningitis in the cerebrum were seen in this case. The organism isolated from the brain stem was confirmed as L. monocytogenes using the biochemical tests and PCR assay. Based on clinical signs, histopathology, and bacterial isolation; we confirmed that this case was a typical encephalitic listeriosis.

Key Words: circling, goat, Listeria monocytogenes, microabscess, meningoencephalitis