[Morphological changes in diplococcosis in calves]

Abstract

Diplococcous infection was observed in 15 calves aged 3 to 30 days. Diplococcous pneumoniae was isolated from synovial fluid and parenchymal organs in affected joints of dead calves. Clinically and morphologically the disease had an active course in calves aged up to 20 days, while in the older ones a subacute or chronic course of the disease was observed. The morphological changes depended on the type of infection. In acute infections a septic course of the disease, including hemorrhagic diathesis, enlarged spleen, myocarditis, hyperaemia, oedema and isolated hemorrhages of the brain meninges was observed, while in the chronic cases pneumonia, pleutisy, pericarditis, arthritis of the knee, elbow, dorsal and carpal joints and ofien suppurative meningoencephalitis were encountered.