Bovine Farcy Research Articles

Classification of the bovine farcy organism

Classification of the bovine farcy organism

Lipid composition in the classification of nocardiae and mycobacteria.

Ninety-six strains of aerobic actinomycetes with a type IV cell wall (major amounts of meso-diaminopimelic acid, arabinose, and galactose) were analyzed for the presence of mycolic acids and nocardomycolic acids. The method used was comparatively simple and permits the separation of these organisms into two groups: the mycobacteria and the nocardiae. In general, strains received as mycobacteria contained mycolic acids, confirming the generic assignment made by other methods. On the basis of nocardomycolic acid content, Mycobacterium brevicale, M. rhodochrous, and M. thamnopheos should be placed in the genus Nocardia, and on the basis of mycolic acid content, strains recently isolated from bovine farcy should be placed in the genus Mycobacterium. Nocardia farcinica should be considered a nomen dubium and N. asteroides should be considered the type species of the genus.

Studies on bovine farcy in the Sudan: III. Pathogenicity of Nocardia farcinica

The literature on the pathogenicity of bovine farcy is briefly reviewed and critically discussed. Experiments have confirmed that Nocardia farcinica is pathogenic to cattle and guinea pigs but not to rabbits. Suppurative orchitis develops in guinea pigs after intraperitoneal inoculations of cultures or pus.

The relationship between bovine farcy and tuberculosis.

The relationship between bovine farcy and tuberculosis.

Studies of bovine farcy in the Sudan: I. Pathology of the disease

A disease survey involving some hundreds of animals was carried out in 1958, 1959 and 1963 in the Sudan to study bovine farcy. Animals in the Quarantine Station at Khartoum North and in some abattoirs were also examined. A full description is given of the distribution of lesions and the accompanying symptoms. The disease progressed very slowly and painlessly and occurred in the chronic form only. Clinically it was characterised by tumefaction and granulomatous inflammation of the superficial lymph nodes, the vessels and the subcutis, with suppuration at a later stage. The histopathological changes were characteristic and indicated a low grade inflammatory reaction.

Studies of bovine farcy in the Sudan: II. Mycology of the disease

A study of the causal organism of bovine farcy in Sudanese cattle establishes conclusively its identity as Nocardia farcinica. It occurs as tangled masses of closely interwoven, thin, branching filaments of variable length which are Gram-positive and partially acid-alcohol-fast. A detailed description of the organism is given along with methods for its isolation. Cultures were obtained on different media and the cultural characteristics and viability of Nocardia farcinica are described.

Studies on Bovine Farcy (Nocardiosis) Among Cattle In The Sudan

Summary Two distinct types of bovine farcy occur in the Sudan: a chronic purulo‐granulomatous inflamation of the subcutis involving the lymph vessels and nodes which may or may not be accompanied by internal lesions and an exclusively internal type, the pulmonary form of which closely resembles tuberculosis. From all cases investigated it was possible to demonstrate an acid‐fast actinomyces in direct smears. Observations on the morphology, cultural characters, pathogenicity and biochemical activities indicate that the organism under investigation appears to be an aerobic acid‐fast actinomyces and a member of the genus Nocardia. It conforms to A. farcinicus as described by Nocard (1888). The histopathological study of bovine farcy lesions and its similarity to tubercle nodules is described. The economic importance of the disease in the Sudan is indicated. ZusammenfassungStudien zum Rinderrotz (Nocardiosis) beim Rind in Sudan Im Sudan kommen zwei ganz verschiedene Typen des Rinderrotzes vor. Die erste Form ist eine eitrig‐granulomatöse Entzündung der Unterhaut einschließlich der Lymphgefäße und ‐knoten, die auch mit inneren Schádigungen einhergehen kann. Der andere Typ, die Lungenform, ist eine ausschließlich innere Erkrankung und ähnelt stark der Tuberkulose. Bei allen untersuchten Fällen konnte im Direktausstrich ein säurefester Aktinomycet nachgewiesen werden. Erhebungen über Morphologie, kulturelles Verhalten, Pathogenität und biochemische Fähigkeiten ergaben, daß der Organismus ein aerober säurefester Aktinomycet und Angehöriger der Gattung „Nocardia” zu sein scheint. Er stimmt mit A. farcinicus überein, wie er von Nocard beschrieben wurde (1888). Die histopathologischen Befunde der Rinderrotz‐Schädigungen und die Ähnlichkeit mit Tuberkelknötchen werden beschrieben. Auf die wirtschaftliche Bedeutung dieser Erkrankung im Sudan wird hingewiesen. RésuméEtude du farcin du boeuf (nocardiose) chez le boeuf au Soudan Au Soudan il existe deux formes totalement différences de farcin du boeuf. La première forme est une inflammation purulente et granulomateuse du tissu sous‐cutané y compris les vaisseaux et ganglions lymphatiques. Il peut exister simultanément des lésions internes. La seconde forme, la forme pulmonaire, est une maladie exclusivement interne et ressemble beaucoup à la tuberculose. Dans tous les cas étudiés on put mettre en évidence dans les frottis directs un Actinomyces acido‐résistant. Les observations morphologiques, le comportement en cultures, la pathogénité et les propriétés biochimiques montrèrent que l'organisme est un Actinomyces acido‐résistant aérobie et appartenant au genre Nocardia. Il est identique à A. farcinicus tel qu'il a été décrit par Nocard (1888). Les auteurs décrivent l'image histopathologique des lésions du farcin du boeuf et leur ressemblance avec des nodules tuberculeux. Ils signalent l'importance économique de cette maladie au Soudan. ResumenEstudios sobre el muermo bovino (nocardiosis) de los bóvidos en el Sudán En el Sudán se presentan dos tipos de muermo bovino completamente diferentes. La primera forma es una inflamación purulento‐granulomatosa del corion, incluso de los vasos y ganglios linfáticos, que también puede estar acompañada de lesiones internas. El otro tipo, la forma pulmonar, es una enfermedad interna exclusivamente y tiene un gran parecido con la tuberculosis. En todos los casos estudiados se pudo identificar en el frotis directo un actinomiceto ácidorresistente. De las consideraciones relativas a morfología, reacción cultural, poder patógeno y facultades bioquímicas se infiere que el organismo debe ser un actinomiceto aerobio ácidorresistente y perteneciente al género “Nocardia”. Coincide con A. farcinicus, tal y como fuè descrito por Nocard (1888). Se describen los hallazgos histopatológicos de las lesiones del muermo bovino y su semejanza con los nódulos tuberculosos. Se señala la importancia económica de esta enfermedad en el Sudán.

The Inter-Relationship Between Tuberculosis and Bovine Farcy

The Inter-Relationship Between Tuberculosis and Bovine Farcy

Nocardiosis; a case report and brief review of the literature.

Nocard (13), in 1888, described a disease in cattle on the island of Guadeloupe in the French West Indies. One year later, Trevisan suggested that the responsible organism be called Nocardia (6), but it was not until 1943, when Waksman and Lechevalier (17) devised a new classification for the order Actinomycetales, that the term came into more general usage. Because of marked cultural differences, they separated the genus Nocardia from the then accepted genus Actinomyces. For purposes of orientation, the phylum thallophyta is divided into the Algae and the Fungi. The latter are subdivided into the Pseudomycetes and the Eumycetes. The Pseudomycetes are then separated into the Myxomycetes, or slime molds, and the Schizomycetes, which includes all bacteria, both the true bacteria (Eubacteriales) and the forms frequently referred to as the “higher bacteria” (Actinomycetales). The order Actinomycetales, distinguished by the fact that its components show branching mycelium, includes three families: the Mycobacteriaceae, which produce branching but no mycelia and are acid-fast and aerobic; the Streptomycetaceae, which produce branching mycelium without segmentation; and the Actinomycetaceae (9). The two genera of the family Actinomycetaceae exhibit branching mycelium but form no spirals, and they segment into bacillary and coccoid forms. Nocardia is sometimes acid-fast, whereas the genus Actinomyces is not. Nocardia is aerobic, while the genus Actinomyces is not. In Nocard's original essay, several illustrations show how farcy (due to Nocardia farcinica) affects the steer. The lymph vessels on the inner surfaces of the legs, together with the regional lymph nodes, become enlarged and sometimes ulcerated (13). Lumpy masses are also found along the pectoral muscles and abdomen. From these lesions Nocard demonstrated, with the Gram-Weigert stain, coccoid and bacillary forms, which appeared dark blue. He also found that they were aerobic and noted the presence of branching mycelium. Necropsy showed these organisms in the lungs, liver, and lymph nodes. Although occurring in the West Indies and in Europe, bovine farcy has not been seen in the United States (11). Farcy is also a disease of horses, in which it is usually called glanders, and is due to another organism, Malleomyces mallei (12). In this country nocardiosis has been described in a terrier bitch (3) and in a German shepherd dog (16). The fungus is free living in nature and can be found on the skin of guinea-pigs and in the soil. It can also be a cause of “potato scab” (5). Nocardiosis in Man Nocardiosis can be caused by any one of nine species of Nocardia, but in North America N. asteroides is the usual agent (9). This species causes an acute lung infection, which becomes chronic and has a tendency to spread to other organs. N. madurae and N. pelletieri produce a disease like actinomycosis. The infection may follow inhalation or injury. All ages are affected.

A Study of Some Acid-Fast Actinomycetes from Soil with Special Reference to Pathogenicity for Animals

Some of the actinomycetes, a small minority of the group, are acid-fast. The degree of acid-fastness, however, varies greatly from forms that are almost as acid-fast as tubercle bacilli to others that are only slightly more resistant to decolorization than ordinary bacteria. It is not uncommon, in cultures as well as in tissues, to see some elements that are distinctly acid-fast and others that are not, and filaments in which only portions are acid-fast. Some have referred to these lessened degrees of resistance to decolorization as semi-acid-fastness or partial acid-fastness. Acid-fastness in a filamentous organism was first described by Nocard1 in 1888, in Actinomyces farcinica, the cause of farcin du boeuf, or bovine farcy. Later, in 1890, Eppinger2 found a similar organism, Act. asteroides, in a human infection. Since that time occasional reports of the finding of the same or similar organisms in human and animal infections have appeared. In 1921 Henrici and Gardner3 reviewed the papers that had appeared up to that time, and described another human infection with a species which they designated Act. gypsoides. Davis and Garcia,4 in 1923, studied an organism very similar to, if not identical with, that of Henrici and Gardner, which had been isolated from an abscess developing from the prick of a cactus thorn. In 1930, Sartory, Meyer, and Meyer5 isolated an organism which resembled Eppinger's Act. asteroides from a human bone infection. Bishop and Fenstermacher6 in 1933 isolated this species from the tissues of a cow that was suffering from a generalized infection. In 1925 Sanford and Voelker7 collected case reports of human actinomycosis in the United States. Of the 670 cases reviewed by them about 10 were due to acid-fast species. With a few exceptions, all cultures of acid-fast actinomycetes of which we have found a record, have originated in human or animal infections. These exceptions are: