Haemorrhagic Septicaemia of cattle in French Central Africa

Abstract

The prophylaxis against Haemorrhagic Septicaemia of cattle has become a major problem in the French Central African Territories, as rinderpest, pleuropneumonia, anthrax and blackquarter are moving back because of the more effective measures of control.

The disease is well-known in Cameroon, Oubangui-Chari and Tchad, occurring only during the rainy season. Mortality varies considerably from one year to the other, allied presumably to epizootiological factors still not well-known. In the majority of cases, the disease is manifested as an infectious pharyngeal oedema, death occurring in less than 24 hours.

The strains of Pasteurella multocida isolated from natural cases have been classified by the G. R. Carter Laboratory (Canada) in sub-group B.

The Farcha laboratory at Fort-Lamy (Tchad) prepares a formolinised alum precipitated concentrated vaccine, which has given good results during the last two years. It is used on a large scale in the Adamawa District of Cameroon where 300,000 zebu were vaccinated in 1959. The techniques of preparation and control of the vaccine are described.