Streptococcal meningitis in a five-month-old male lamb

Abstract

Streptococcus species cause a wide variety of diseases in food animals, including septicaemia, mastitis, meningitis, encephalitis and pneumonia5 . Meningitis due to Streptococcus spp. is commonly a complication of bacteraemia and septicaemia in neonates. In older animals, streptococcal meningitis is common only in pigs3 . A case of streptococcal meningitis in a 5-month-old lamb is reported. To the best of our knowledge this is the 1st report of the disease in an older lamb. A 5-month-old male lamb was brought to the University of Nairobi Large Animal Clinic with a history of being well in the early morning and then falling frequently to the left side later in the day. A clinical examination was carried out and blood taken in EDTA for haematology. In addition, cerebrospinal fluid was obtained aseptically through the atlanto-occipital joint and submitted for bacterial culture and sensitivity determination. On clinical examination, the lamb was dull, recumbent, staggered when forced to move and would fall over to the left side. Body temperature was 40.0 C and there was opisthotonus. It was hyperaesthetic, grinding its teeth, with paddling movements of the hind limbs and appeared blind. A tentative diagnosis of meningitis was made on the basis of the clinical manifestation.