Animal: 6 years old, female, Breed Rasa Aragonesa, Ovine (Ovis aries).
History: Animal with history of chronic rhinitis. The physical findings revealed marked dyspnea, and weakness, the veterinarian applied the proper euthanasia.
Gross findings: In the left nasal cavity the ventral conchae were severely swollen, with a smooth, thickened mucosa, the more rostral area had two, big, white polypoid proliferations covered by abundant mucus. The proliferative mucosa was obliterating the meatus and protrude throw nostrils.
Morphologic Diagnosis: Nasal cavity: Diffuse proliferative rhinitis, chronic, severe.
Etiology: Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae serovar 61:K:1, 5, 7.
Condition: Chronic Proliferative Rhinitis.
Comments: Nasal swabs were obtained during the necropsy.
Pure cultures of Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae serovar 61:K:1, 5, 7 were obtained from the swabs.
The bacteria Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae serovar 61:K:1, 5, 7 is host adapted in sheep, can colonize and persist in the nasal mucosa. Infected animals may occasionally develop chronic nasal inflammation, particularly after being stressed1.
Gross findings include thickened mucosa with multifocal proliferations composed of multiple small white or yellow polypoid structures covered by mucus. The ventral turbinates appear to be more affected2.
Histogical findings reveal a thickened nasal mucosa with multiple polypoid projections or layers of disorganized epithelial cells covered by hyperplasic respiratory epithelium. These cells had elongated eosinophilic cytoplasm or vacuoles filled with gram negative bacilli2.
Picture and authored by: Marcelo de las Heras, Raúl Resendiz*, Ana Rodríguez, Ricardo de Miguel, Estela Pérez. Department of Animal Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zaragoza, Spain. *rulirepo@gmail.com
References:
- Bonke R, Wacheck S, Bumann C, et al. High prevalence of Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae in tonsils of sheep at slaughter. Food Res Int. 2012 Mar 1;45:880–884.
- Lacasta D, Ferrer LM, Ramos JJ, et al. Chronic Proliferative Rhinitis associated with Salmonella enterica subspecies diarizonae serovar 61:k:1, 5, (7) in Sheep in Spain. J Comp Pathol. 2012 Nov;147:406–409.