Circling Disease (Listeriosis)

17.2.1 Circling Disease (Listeriosis)

This disease is seen mostly in ruminant animals. It is caused by a bacteria that is often associated with feeding rotten silage. It is also a Public Health disease because it can cause abortions and death in people if they eat/drink unpasteurized cheese or milk, or touch an aborted fetus or placenta from the affected animal. (See page 280).

Symptoms/Diagnosis: This disease can be confused with rabies (See page 251), with Vitamin A deficiency (See page 311), with Gid (See page 338) and with a deep ear infection (See page 257).

1. Animals are weak and depressed. They have a fever.

2. Animals act like they are blind. Their head is tilted. They may walk in circles. They may press their head against the wall. The muscles of the face are often paralyzed.

3. Eventually the sick animals collapse and die.

4. Once an animal is very sick, it usually dies - even with treatment. Goats and sheep die quickly, within 2 or 3 days. Cattle live longer, perhaps up to two weeks.

5. Sometimes animals with Listeriosis do not show any of these symptoms - they simply have abortions.

Treatment: Animals can survive if treated with penicillin before they become too sick. If penicillin is not available, use tetracycline.

Prevention/Control: Spoiled silage should not be fed. The placenta and dead babies from abortions should be buried. Remember, people can get this disease. Therefore, the placenta and aborted fetus should be handled with plastic gloves.