ANAPHYLAXIS OR SERUM SICKNESS IN CATTLE
By M. K. SREENIVASAN, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteswar
(Received for publication on 19 September 1947)
F OR a number of years reports have occasionally been received at this Institute of accidents
following the use in cattle of immune sera or vaccines. From the description received it is
quite obvious that these accidents are anaphylactic in nature. Within a few minutes to several
hours after injection of the product, any of the following symptoms may attract notice: generalized
urticaria with itching, oedema of the head and perineal region, restlessness, excitement, tenderness
at the site of injection, yawning, tremor, muscular weakness, dyspnoea, coughing. Deaths have
occasionally been reported.
A few references have been found to the occurrence of anaphylaxis in cattle. Holmes [1913]
refers to fatalities occurring in cattle after massive repeated injections of rinderpest blood and
peritoneal washings. Since the material was homologous in kind and since symptoms were not
immediate, with death as long as 2 to 11 days later, it is doubtful whether the illness so induced was
true anaphylaxis. Jacob [1940] states that symptoms are often alarming but disappear within a
few hours and death is rare.
Reichel [1939] quotes Hoskins to the effect that the period of incubation may be from 1 to 4
weeks. In some instances shock develops after what is alleged to be a first injection and even with
homologous proteins. Such cases are perhaps to be explained by a specially high natural suscepti-
bility, though it is not known in what proportion such cases occur. Even heated serum, homologous
or heterologous, is capable of producing anaphylaxis. A possible but not very practical test for
determining the sensitiveness of animals which are to get serum consists in an opthalmic test, in
which a few drops of the serum diluted at 1:10 are placed on the conjunctiva. An intradermal test
can be similarly employed.
In India, the occurrence of anaphylaxis or serum sickness in cattle is not widely known; no
references for example have been found in the annual reports of the Disease Investigation Officers.
On the other hand, colleagues with whom the matter has been discussed are aware of its existence.
As concrete examples of anaphylaxis the following are worth mentioning. In the filed records of
this Institute we find that in 1927 at the Hosur farm (Madras) 40 young cattle of Sindhi cross-bred,
Ongole and Kangayam breeds were injected with anthrax serum and of these 18, aged 13-32 months,
showed severe anaphylactic shock and one died. These animals had previously been given black-
quarter aggressin and serum. In 1929 at the same farm 326 cattle were given rinderpest serum in
the course of serum-simultaneous immunization, and as a result 51 showed symptoms of serum
sickness and one died. The latter was a heifer of Ongole breed, aged three years. It developed
symptoms within 10 minutes of being injected, viz. swellings in various parts of the body, distressed
breathing and sub-normal temperature. On post-mortem examination haemorrhagic lesions were
found in the submucous coats of the abomasum and intestine.
Even allowing for the facts that only a proportion of such accidents as those described are
reported and that severe serum sickness must be comparatively rare cases, when they do occur, are
naturally disturbing to field workers and deserve investigation. Some investigations indeed were
carried on hill-bulls at this Institute by the late Mr Hugh Cooper and myself in 1930. These seemed
to indicate that of biological products ordinarily used blackquarter agreessin was the one most liable
to be followed by anaphylaxis, provided the animal had previously received injections of immune
sera. There were no deaths.
A fresh series of experiments was started at Mukteswar in 1944 in order to obtain further informa-
tion on the liability of the local cattle to suffer anaphylaxis after being injected with various doses
of immune serum at various times. Some work with blackquarter vaccine was also done. Finally
some observations were made on methods of preventing attacks and the duration of the refractory
state which immediately follows the reaction to an injected antigen.
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