Haemorrhagic Septicamia (HS), a contagious bacterial disease which affects cattle and water buffaloes with high mortality rate in affected animals, was said to be detected in the sample result of the water buffaloes affected by the Asiatic Water Buffalo epidemic in Ukhrul district earlier in October.
The sample result of the lab test indicated presence of Pasteurella organism which according to the concerned department could be isolated and demonstrated.
It may be mentioned that the case was first reported in New Tusom village of Ukhrul district in October wherein the dead buffalo showed symptoms of acute bodily weakness. In all, over 250 bovine species belonging to border villages such as Wahong, Tusom, Razai and Kharasom villages had reportedly fallen prey to the unknown epidemic (then), causing alarm and distressed among the cattle farmers of the area.
The Imphal Free Press had first publsihed the report of sudden death of the buffaloes in the villages of Ukhrul district on November 12, while the Veterinary and Horticulture department were yet to provide sample report of death carcass till then. At the time of filing the report in November, altogether, 256 Water Buffaloes of the Asiatic breed belonging to different owners had succumbed to the unknown disease, Joy Horam, president of Northern Raphei Students’ Union informed the IFP.
However, following a vaccination administered to the cattle, there have been no new cases of livestock death from the area, official sources said.
Also Read: Unknown disease claims 256 water buffaloes in Manipur's Ukhrul district
As per the sample report made available to the Imphal Free Press, the following examinations were conducted to ascertain the cause of the epidemic among the Asiatic water buffalo (Bovine species) including cultural and microscopic examination.
In their sample, heart, lungs, and body fluid were examined and the result was found to be all positive, the sources said.
In the cultural examination, pinpoint transparent calories appeared on the bill plate at 48-hours of incubation, while microscopically Gram ve cocco bacilli and bipolar organism in methylene blue stain could be demonstrated.
The above fact was based on the sample examination conducted on the bovine breed by the Advanced Animal Disease Diagnosis and Management College of Veterinary Science, Khanapara, Guwahati on 16 October, 2021.
Following a post mortem of buffalo tissue and body fluid samples collected from 1 to 6 October by PCR with KIMTI primers, Haemorrhagic Septicamia was said to be detected. Acting on the report of unusual death of buffaloes, a team of state veterinary and animal husbandry department had visited New Tusom village on October 5 and had collected the sample of the dead carcasses for testing.
Majority of villages in Ukhrul district depend on agriculture for livelihood and raring of buffaloes is one of their main sources of income besides utilising it for agri-purposes, with one full-grown buffalo costing as much as Rs 1 lakh. In Jessami block alone there are around 3,620 Asiatic buffaloes, as per village sources.
Around the same time of the epidemic report in Manipur, buffalo death was also reported in Manipur’s neighbouring Nagaland state, and was found to be “hemorrhagic septicemia”.
Haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS), according to studies, is a contagious bacterial disease caused by two serotypes of Pasteurella multocida, B2 and E2. It affects cattle (Bos taurus and B. indicus) and water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) with a high mortality rate in infected animals. There is no specific treatment or cure for VHS. It is said to be a major cause of livestock mortality in tropical regions of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
