Disease: Pasteurellosis
This page provides general information about this condition; reveal the text by clicking on the green headers. Press releases, results from DWHC investigations as well as other useful documents and relevant literature can be found at the bottom of the page.
Pathogen
Pasteurellosis is the name given to a range of conditions resulting from infection with members of the Pasteurellaceae family of bacteria. In recent years several of these bacteria that were previously associated with some classical presentations of pasteurellosis have been reclassified which can confuse the interpretation of older reports. For example, P. hemolytica has become Mannheimia hemolytica and P. trehalosi is Bibersteinia trehalosi.
These bacteria are often found in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts of healthy animals and are considered to be opportunistic pathogens, typically causing disease when the host is immune suppressed, possibly as a result of stress (e.g. crowding, adverse weather conditions), or a primary disease process such as viral or mycoplasma infection.
Susceptible species
Pasteurella bacteria can cause disease in a wide range of animal and bird species; possibly the best characterized syndromes are shipping fever in cattle and enzootic pneumonia of small ruminants (sheep and goats) typically caused by complication of viral infections with M. hemolytica and possibly P. multocida co-infection; avian cholera, fatal blood poisoning (septicemia) in poultry, and ‘snuffles’ a serious respiratory infection in rabbits, caused by infection with P. multocida.
Pasteurellosis is a major cause of die-offs in wild bird populations across the world, with waterfowl showing particular susceptibility. Pasteurellosis in wild mammal species tends to mirror the disease in domestic counterparts; it has been associated with pneumonia and septicemia in populations of big-horn sheep in the United States; pneumonia in European hares; septicemia in seals and dolphins; and, has recently been linked with die-offs of antelopes in Kazakhstan. As it is found in the upper respiratory tract and oral cavity of many species, pasteurella species may also be identified sporadically in bite wounds or abscesses.
Infectious Diseases of Wild Birds. Wiley PUblishers. Eds. Nancy J. Thomas, D. Bruce Hunter, Carter T. Atkinson. 2008.
Luc A. Devriese, Magne Bisgaard, Jozef Hommez, Erik Uyttebroek, Rik Ducatelle, and Freddy Haesebrouck. Taxon 20 (Fam. Pasteurellaceae) Infections in European Brown Hares (Lepus europaeus). Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 27(4):685-687
Nicholls H. Mysterious die-off sparks race to save saiga antelope. Nature News. 2015Signs in animals
Whilst many species may show respiratory disease associated with Pasteurella infection, often death occurs before clinical signs are observed.
Infection of animals
As these bacteria are part of the normal fauna in the respiratory tracts of many species, when disease develops, it typically reflects a change in the host immune status which has allowed the bacteria to multiply. Transmission can occur via inhalation of infectious aerosolised bacteria, particularly when animals are crowded together e.g. migrations/transport.
Symptoms in people
Pasteurella infections in humans that are associated with animal contact are typically seen in bite or scratch wounds.
Research results
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