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Objective: Identification of causative agent of haemorrhage and fever in this case.
Design: Case study.
Animals: A holstein cow aged 4 years from a dairy herd, Fashafuae - Tehran.
Procedure: After taking history, the cow was clinically examined and by a standard kit and the concentration of macrocyclic trichothecenes was measured in her serum. The cow was slaughtered and samples of here liver, spleen, lymph nodes and small intestine were histopathologically studied.
Results: On the basis of the occurrence of haemorrhages in
mammary gland subcutis, anterior chamber of the eyes and GI
system as well as failure of blood sample to clot and the presence of plenty of thrombi in different tissues, it was clear that the cow was suffering from haemorrhagic syndrome. In addition to extensive haemorrhages and necrosis in small intestine mucous membrane, liver and spleen as well as septic emboli and abundant infiltration of inflammatory cells in liver sinusoids could explain the severe pyrexia of the cow. In the mean while the serum sample test revealed that the titre of macrocycl ic trichothecenes was 15 times that of control serum.
Conclusion: Considering clinical, laboratory and histopathologic findings beside the occurrence of the disease in January and yet consumption of infected corn silage, the disease was, certainly, stachybotryotoxicosis. J. Fac. Vet. Med. Univ. Tehran. 57, 4: 49-53, 2002