A report of suppurative encephalitis in kid

A 10 days old female Tellicherry goat kid was presented for necropsy at the Central University Laboratory (CUL), Madhavaram. Detailed necropsy was carried out and suppurative encephalitis was identified as the cause of death. On necropsy, the brain revealed the presence of purulent and foul-smelling exudate in both ventricle of the cerebrum. Histologically, brain revealed severe diffuse degeneration of neutrophils with perivascular edema, neuronal necrosis, and extensive neutrophilic infiltration in the meninges that extended in to the grey matter. Samples collected from the brain revealed the presence of E. coli based on biochemical characterization. The losses due to suppurative encephalitis might be attributed to the invasion of E. coli bacteria through the naval route into the circulation resulting in suppurative changes in the brain which was not commonly reported in kids.