Infectious Bovine Keratoconjuctivitis (Pinkeye) Infection in a Dairy Cattle Herd in Kenya
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Date
2017
Authors
Nguhiu, Purity N
Tum, Obed K
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLEDGE
Abstract
Infectious bovine keratoconjuctivitis (IBK) or Pinkeye is a highly contagious, non-fatal eye disease of cattle worldwide
but has marked economic impact due to production losses, rapid spread of the disease in a herd and treatment costs. A
cross sectional study was done to determine the causes of pink eye infections in Ilulla dairy farm in Eldoret of Uasin Gishu
County, Kenya from November 2015 to February 2016. Any cattle that showed signs of eye disease (lacrimation,
photophobia and corneal opacity) were recruited for this study. A total of thirty heads of cattle that were positive on
clinical examination of the affected eyes, were restrained in a crash and conjunctiva swabs were collected for
bacteriological evaluation. Bacterial cultures were grown on blood agar media and colonial morphology recorded.
Bacteria were identified after staining bacterial smears with Gram’s stain. Antibiotic sensitivity tests were done for
positive colonies. Moraxella bovis, a gram negative short rod which occurred in pairs or singly was confirmed in 33% of
the ocular infections, other bacteria isolated included Staphylococcal aureus at 67% and Escherichia coli at 7% of the
infections. Majority of the Moraxella infections were observed in calves 4 out of 8 (50%) and heifers 5 out of 14 (35.7%)
while only 1 out of eight (12.5%) adults were infected. The infections were observed in Friesians, Ayrshires and
Guernseys. The bacteria were sensitive to wide range of antibiotics tested but were resistant to sulphamethoxazole. Some
of the risk factors observed included; high density of face flies, feeding of dry dusty hay and the long dry spell during the
time of the study. The infected animals were treated using Ampliclox® and measures to control flies around the milking
parlour were instituted
Description
Article
Keywords
Dairy Cattle, Kenya, Keratoconjuctivitis, pink eye, treatment
Citation
Nguhiu, P. N., & Tum, O. K. 1.4 Infectious Bovine Keratoconjuctivitis (Pinkeye) Infection in a Dairy Cattle Herd in Kenya. In 2ND BIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENHANCING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND MARKETING SYSTEMS (p. 41).