An outbreak of Haemorrhagic septicaemia in the navithanveli veterinary range in Ampara District, Sri Lanka

Haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS) is a major diseases of bovines in Sri Lanka before 2005. The disease is endemic in dry zone where clinical incidences occur with the onset of monsoon. An outbreak of HS occurred in twenty 1-3 year old local buffaloes of which 15 died, in mid-October 2016 in Navithanveli veterinary range in Ampara District. The disease continued and another 13 buffaloes and 3 cattle died. Clinical and necropsy findings and laboratory identification confirmed that the causative organism was Pasrerella multocida serotype B:2. Outbreak was controlled with treatment and vaccination of all susceptible animals. This is the first report of the re-emergence of P. multocida after 2000 in Ampara district.