Braxy

Braxy 

a severe infectious disease of sheep, characterized by general poisoning of the organism and infection of the stomach, liver, and other internal organs. The pathogenes are the toxic clostridia Clostridium septicum, C. oedematiens and, less frequently, C. gigas.

Braxy as a separate disease was first described by Ivar Nielsen in Norway in 1888. Under natural conditions, all breeds and ages of sheep are susceptible to braxy. The reservoir of the pathogene is the soil. Braxy occurs under all conditions of terrain, soil, and climate. Particularly large epizootics arise in rainy years. On unfortunate farms braxy is repeated yearly. Economic loss from the disease is significant. The death rate of infected animals reaches 100 percent. Visible clinical signs of braxy may be seen within 10–15 minutes, more rarely in 2–12 hours. An apparently healthy animal falls and dies, with convulsions and occasionally with diarrhea and stomach bloating. A cure has not been developed; vaccination with a polyvalent concentrated vaccine acts as a prophylactic. Quarantine on a farm may be lifted 14 days after inoculation or the last instance of collapse caused by the disease.

REFERENCE

“Bradzot.” In Bolezni ovets: [Sb. st.]. Edited by F. A. Terent’ev [et al.]. Moscow, 1963.