Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association · 1990 · 64 citations · 0 references
Veterinary MedicineInfectious DiseasesVeterinary ParasitologyInfectious Disease PathologyParasite EpidemiologyVeterinary Parasitic DiseasesBlood ParasitesLivestock Infectious DiseasesLivestock-associated ZoonosesParasitic Disease DiagnosisParasitic ZoonosesRuminant Infectious DiseasesClinical Signs DetectionEdema PathologyLocalized LymphadenopathyMilk Production ResponsesOvine Parasitic InfectionsPeripheral Edema Examination
Approximately 10 of 100 young heifers that had recently delivered their first calf--members of a large Colorado dairy herd--had a syndrome of swollen teats and distal portions of the hind limbs, prefemoral lymphadenopathy, transient fever, rough coat, decreased milk production, and subsequent weight loss and reproductive inefficiency. Acute clinical signs of disease were associated with large numbers of Eperythrozoon wenyonii seen on blood smears, and resolution of signs correlated with reduction or disappearance of the parasite. Other known causes of peripheral edema could not be documented. The parasite was transmitted to 4 of 7 nonlactating dairy cows destined to be culled and a splenectomized calf via IV inoculation of blood from parasitemic heifers, but clinical signs of infection were not induced.