Immune complex glomerulonephritis of suspected iatrogenic origin in five Japanese Black calves

BERNIER GOSSELIN, Véronique; KIM, Dae Y.; NAGY, Dusty W.; SHOEMAKE, Brian M.; SHAW, Daniel P.; ROYAL, Angela B.; EVANS, Tim J.; MIDDLETON, John R.

Laboratory tests to rule out potential infectious causes in Cases 1, 2, 4 and 5 included polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Bluetongue virus, BVDV, herpesvirus and/or IBR, and pathogenic leptospira and were all negative. Intestine from Case 1 was PCR positive for coronavirus, and Cases 4 and 5 were PCR positive for both coronavirus and rotavirus A. Bacterial culture of kidney, intestine, and lung from Case 1 yielded multiple bacterial genera consistent with contamination or normal intestinal flora. Escherichia coli was isolated from intestine and kidney in Case 4 and intestine in Case 5, the significance of which is unclear; CBCs were not available for these cases, but microscopic findings at necropsy were not suggestive of colisepticemia. Intestines from Cases 1, 4 and 5 were culture negative for Salmonella spp. and Clostridium perfringens. No tissues were submitted for bacterial culture during the necropsy of Case 2. Fecal cultures for the isolation of Salmonella spp. collected once as part of the The proportion of cases with a given abnormality is presented. When a given abnormality was present on multiple occasions during hospitalization, only the first occurrence was included in the median (range) values reported. a) This calf had decreased bicarbonate at a previous sampling.