Meningitis and meningoencephalitis produced by Salmonella in calves

Abstract

The authors record one case of meningitis and two cases of meningoencephalitis produced respectively by Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella dublin achieving to recover the bacteria from the brain and organs of all animals. In the first observations, S. typhimurium isolated and the following microscopic lesions were found in the brain; acute leptomeningitis with striking edema, necrosis of inflammatory cells, and congestion of the cerebral cortex. In the other observations, Salmonella dublin was isolated and microscopic lesions of acute moningoencephalitis were found occurring one time. This is the first case registered in the literature of meningitis and meningoencephalitis in the bovine produced by Salmonella with isolation of the respective bacteria from the brain. During July, 1978 to April, 1981, 269 post mortem examinations of calves were performed; in the period, Salmonellosis were diagnosed 68 times (25,28%), ocurring meningitis and meningoencephalitis three times (4,4%).