Escherichia fergusonii Associated with Pneumonia in a Beef Cow

Abstract EN

An adult Angus cow developed hyperthermia, prostration, and respiratory distress, dying 36 hours after the onset of clinical signs.

The main finding during postmortem examination was a severe focally extensive pneumonia.

Icterus and a chronic mastitis were also noticed.

Histologic examination of the lungs detected fibrinonecrotic pneumonia, with large number of oat cells and intralesional Gram-negative bacterial colonies.

Samples from lung lesions were collected, and a pure growth of Escherichia fergusonii was obtained.

E.

fergusonii is a member of Enterobacteriaceae, related to Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp.

In veterinary medicine, E.

fergusonii has been reported in calves and sheep with clinical cases suggestive of salmonellosis; in a horse and a goat with enteritis and septicemia; and in ostriches with fibrinonecrotic typhlitis.

To our knowledge, this report represents the first description of E.

fergusonii associated with an acute pneumonia in cattle.