23/09/2023
Listeriosis :
Listeriosis is caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes and is commonly seen in cooler climates.
Risk Factors :
1. These bacteria can be found in the soil, food sources, and even the f***s of healthy animals.
2. Most commonly, this disease of sheep and goats is observed as a result of feeding moldy or spoiled hay or silage.
3. It’s possible for your sheep and goats to become infected without feeding moldy or spoiled hay or silage as it is found in the environment.
4. The bacteria are very hardy and are common in soil.
5. Silage not fermented (not acidified) properly, put up too dry or not compacted tight enough to protect it from the air
6. Round bales of hay that have started to rot
7. Feed bunks that are not cleaned regularly and in which some f***s and wet feed leftover accumulate and ferment
8. Rotting (decaying) woody
9. Debris, Manure, Milk, urine, and drainage of the eyes and nose of infected animals.
Symptoms of Listeriosis include
1.Dull Depression , weight of loss , loss of production
2. Loss of appetite,
3. Fever
4. lack of coordination,
5. Hyper salivation,
6. Unilateral facial paralysis, unilateral
7.Blindness and circling in one direction.
AFFECTED ANIMALS may have a Droopy ear, Drooping eyelid, Saliva running from limp lips on one side of the face caused by a partial paralysis.When near death, the animal will lie down and may have convulsions. Disease is more common in animals 1 to 3 years of age than it is in older animals. The abortion form of Listerosis usually shows no other symptoms and can only be diagnosed by laboratory analysis.
Important: The onset of the encephalitic form is usually very fast and causes death in 24 to 48 hours after symptoms appear.
A diagnosis can only be confirmed in a diagnostic laboratory but isolation of the organism can be difficult.
Steps for prevention or to minimize associated risks:
1.Recently introduced animals should be considered suspect as carriers.
2. Infected animals should be isolated from the rest of the herd or flock
3. Floors, pens, sheds, feed bunks, mineral feeders, etc. should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
4. If several animals are affected and silage or round bales of hay are being fed, their use should be discontinued until they can be ruled out as a source of contamination.
Source: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/listeriosis-in-sheep-and-goats #:~:text=Listeriosis%20is%20caused%20by%20the,or%20spoiled%20hay%20or%20silage
The symptoms vary with the infected Person/ Pregnant Woman :
Fever
Muscle aches
Headache
Stiff neck
Confusion
Loss of balance
Convulsions.
IMPORTANAT About PREGNANT WOMAN:
Pregnant women are about 20 times more likely to contract listeriosis than other healthy adults.
It can result in miscarriage or stillbirth.
Newborn may also have low birth weight, septicaemia and meningitis. .
Pregnant women typically experience only fever, and other non-specific symptoms like chills and headache.
People with HIV are at least 300 times more likely to get ill than those with a normally functioning immune system
Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/listeriosis
Listeriosis is a disease that can affect all ruminants as well as other animal species and humans.
