Veronika Richter1,2, Franz-Ferdinand Roch1, Marlena Knauss3,4, Jörg Hiesel2, Robert Wolf2, Peter Wagner2, Annemarie Käsbohrer1, Beate Conrady1,5,6. 1. Unit of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria. 2. Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung, Fachabteilung Gesundheit und Pflegemanagement, Graz, Austria. 3. Bezirkshauptmannschaft Liezen, Politische Expositur Gröbming, Gröbming, Austria. 4. Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 5. Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark. 6. Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Blackleg and gas gangrene are acute clostridial infections primarily affecting cattle. The objectives of this study were to identify (i) animal-related factors influencing the occurrence and (ii) prognostic pathological findings supporting the differentiation of fatal blackleg and gas gangrene cases in the cattle population from 1998 to 2018 in Styria, Austria. METHODS: Two binomial logistic models were applied to analyse the research questions. Additionally, cross-validations were performed to estimate the accuracy of the predictive models. RESULTS: Model results show that animal-related factors (i.e., age, geographical discovery location of dead cattle, vaccination status) significantly influence the occurrence of blackleg when compared to gas gangrene. Pathological findings are similar for both diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Model results reveal that using animal-related factors has a better accuracy to predict the fatal cases caused by both pathogens. Thus, the authors recommend not relying on pathological findings as predictive factors in the differentiation between blackleg and gas gangrene in cattle.
BACKGROUND: Blackleg and gas gangrene are acute clostridial infections primarily affecting cattle. The objectives of this study were to identify (i) animal-related factors influencing the occurrence and (ii) prognostic pathological findings supporting the differentiation of fatal blackleg and gas gangrene cases in the cattle population from 1998 to 2018 in Styria, Austria. METHODS: Two binomial logistic models were applied to analyse the research questions. Additionally, cross-validations were performed to estimate the accuracy of the predictive models. RESULTS: Model results show that animal-related factors (i.e., age, geographical discovery location of dead cattle, vaccination status) significantly influence the occurrence of blackleg when compared to gas gangrene. Pathological findings are similar for both diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Model results reveal that using animal-related factors has a better accuracy to predict the fatal cases caused by both pathogens. Thus, the authors recommend not relying on pathological findings as predictive factors in the differentiation between blackleg and gas gangrene in cattle.