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an epidemiological study of listeriosis in dairy cattle

an epidemiological study of listeriosis in dairy cattle

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<strong>an</strong>imals suggests that L. monocytogenes ga<strong>in</strong>s entry <strong>in</strong> several ways. Numerous<br />

naturally occurr<strong>in</strong>g epidemic <strong>an</strong>d sporadic cases <strong>of</strong> <strong>listeriosis</strong> <strong>an</strong>d experimental studies<br />

have shown the import<strong>an</strong>ce <strong>of</strong> the oral route as the <strong>in</strong>itial exposure site.<br />

The cl<strong>in</strong>ical occurrence <strong>of</strong> encephalitis <strong>an</strong>d experiments carried out by Asahi<br />

<strong>an</strong>d others (1957) <strong>an</strong>d Barlow <strong>an</strong>d McGorum (1985) suggest that encephalitis follows<br />

<strong>in</strong>fection <strong>of</strong> the bra<strong>in</strong> stem, result<strong>in</strong>g from L. monocytogenes ascend<strong>in</strong>g via cr<strong>an</strong>ial<br />

nerves follow<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>in</strong>ute wounds <strong>in</strong> buccal mucosa, <strong>in</strong>halation <strong>an</strong>d conjunctival<br />

contam<strong>in</strong>ation. Intr<strong>an</strong>asal <strong>in</strong>fection <strong>of</strong> sheep with L. monocytogenes (Gill 1933) <strong>an</strong>d<br />

conjunctival <strong>in</strong>oculation <strong>of</strong> rabbits (Gray <strong>an</strong>d others 1948) resulted <strong>in</strong> encephalitis.<br />

Asahi <strong>an</strong>d others (1957) produced encephalitis by <strong>in</strong>still<strong>in</strong>g L. monocytogenes <strong>in</strong>to the<br />

conjunctiva, lips, gum, parotid region, oral cavity <strong>an</strong>d tongue <strong>of</strong> mice, rabbits <strong>an</strong>d goats<br />

after break<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>tegrity <strong>of</strong> mucosal membr<strong>an</strong>es, <strong>an</strong>d also by feed<strong>in</strong>g L.<br />

monocytogenes contam<strong>in</strong>ated feed to the <strong>an</strong>imals. Their histopathologic <strong>an</strong>d cl<strong>in</strong>ical<br />

exam<strong>in</strong>ation revealed that encephalitis occurred after <strong>in</strong>stillation <strong>of</strong> L. monocytogenes<br />

through bruised <strong>an</strong>d wounded membr<strong>an</strong>es <strong>an</strong>d feed<strong>in</strong>g contam<strong>in</strong>ated feed to goat, mice,<br />

rabbits. Mucosal damage played <strong>an</strong> import<strong>an</strong>t role <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>fect<strong>in</strong>g the trigem<strong>in</strong>al nerve<br />

which then carried the org<strong>an</strong>ism to the bra<strong>in</strong>. Barlow <strong>an</strong>d McGorum (1985) produced<br />

encephalitis <strong>in</strong> sheep by <strong>in</strong>oculat<strong>in</strong>g L. monocytogenes <strong>in</strong>to the dental cavity <strong>an</strong>d they<br />

also acknowledged the role <strong>of</strong> the trigem<strong>in</strong>al nerve <strong>in</strong> the occurrence <strong>of</strong> encephalitis.<br />

These studies have contributed to the hypothesis that forages such as grass, silage, gra<strong>in</strong><br />

awns, straw <strong>an</strong>d hay c<strong>an</strong> break up the <strong>in</strong>tegrity <strong>of</strong> mucosal membr<strong>an</strong>es <strong>an</strong>d allow L.<br />

monocytogenes to penetrate them. Hav<strong>in</strong>g penetrated the mucosal membr<strong>an</strong>e L.<br />

monocytogenes c<strong>an</strong> then travel along cr<strong>an</strong>ial nerves (especially trigem<strong>in</strong>al nerve) to<br />

reach the bra<strong>in</strong> (Dennis 1993). Subcut<strong>an</strong>eous <strong>in</strong>jection <strong>of</strong> mice with L. monocytogenes<br />

also resulted <strong>in</strong> encephalitis <strong>an</strong>d this po<strong>in</strong>ts to the role <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>fected wounds <strong>an</strong>d the<br />

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