Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis caused by Moraxella bovis in water buffaloes

Abstract

The present paper reports some clinical and therapeutic observations in natural infection of bovine keratoconjunctivitis caused by Moraxella bovis in water buffaloes (n = 15). The disease has been sparsely reported in water buffaloes. Varying degree of conjunctival or corneal oedema, hyperemia, blepharospasm, serous to mucopurulent ocular discharge, whitish opacity of cornea and partial to complete blindness were common clinical presentations in the affected animals. The infection was confirmed by culture and isolation of the samples collected from middle canthus of the affected eyes. Therapeutic management of the disease with two different antimicrobial protocols viz. parenteral administration of long acting oxytetracycline or topical administration of triple antibiotic (neomycin, polymyxin and bacitracin zinc) ophthalmic ointment resulted in little success. There was uveitis or secondary glaucoma and resultant blindness in the unresponsive eyes.