Bacterial diseases of farmed deer and bison

The most important aerobic bacterial diseases of farmed deer and bison include bovine tuberculosis, Johne's disease (paratuberculosis), yersiniosis, leptospirosis, brucellosis, pasteurellosis, anthrax, salmonellosis and colibacillosis. Anaerobic bacterial infections affecting the same animals include necrobacillosis and a number of clostridial diseases such as tetanus, blackleg, malignant oedema and pulpy kidney. The relative importance of these diseases will vary throughout the world according to timing and circumstance, but bovine tuberculosis and Johne's disease are likely to present the most significant problems with respect to diagnosis, control, trade in live animals and the establishment of wildlife reservoirs of infection. The authors summarise the aetiology, the principal species of animal affected, geographical distribution, transmission, clinical signs, pathology, diagnosis, treatment and control of these diseases.