The bovine paranasal sinuses: Bacterial flora, epithelial expression of nitric oxide and potential role in the in-herd persistence of respiratory disease pathogens

Abstract

The bovine paranasal sinuses are a group of complex cavernous air-filled spaces, lined by respiratory epithelium, the exact function of which is unclear. While lesions affecting these sinuses are occasionally reported in cattle, their microbial flora has not been defined. Furthermore, given that the various bacterial and viral pathogens causing bovine respiratory disease (BRD) persist within herds, we speculated that the paranasal sinuses may serve as a refuge for such infectious agents. The paranasal sinuses of clinically normal cattle (n = 99) and of cattle submitted for post-mortem examination (PME: n = 34) were examined by microbial culture, PCR and serology to include bacterial and viral pathogens typically associated with BRD: Mycoplasma bovis, Histophilus somni, Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida, bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and bovine parainfluenza-3 virus (BPIV-3). Overall, the paranasal sinuses were either predominantly sterile or did not contain detectable microbes (83.5%: 94.9% of clinically normal and 50.0% of cattle submitted for PME). Bacteria, including BRD causing pathogens, were identified in relatively small numbers of cattle (<10%). While serology indicated widespread exposure of both clinically normal and cattle submitted for PME to BPIV-3 and BRSV (seroprevalences of 91.6% and 84.7%, respectively), PCR identified BPIV-3 in only one animal. To further explore these findings we investigated the potential role of the antimicrobial molecule nitric oxide (NO) within paranasal sinus epithelium using immunohistochemistry. Expression of the enzyme responsible for NO synthesis, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), was detected to varying degrees in 76.5% of a sub-sample of animals suggesting production of this compound plays a similar protective role in the bovine sinus as it does in humans.

Mannheimia haemolyticain bovine respiratory disease: immunogens, potential immunogens, and vaccines

“…Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the major cause of beef cattle morbidity, mortality, and reduced production and costing the US cattle industry approximately $1 billion per year, when drugs, labor costs, decreased production, and animal death losses are taken into account (Marshall and Levy, 2011). In healthy cattle, M. haemolytica is a natural inhabitant of the upper respiratory tract including the nasal passages, nasopharynx, and tonsils; paranasal sinuses are predominately sterile, and M. haemolytica was isolated from transtracheal fluids from 13.1% of healthy cattle (Frank and Briggs, 1992; Frank et al ., 1995; Murray et al ., 2017; Timsit et al ., 2017). M. haemolytica live within biofilms on the upper respiratory mucosa (Olson et al ., 2002; Boukahil and Czuprynski, 2015, 2016, 2018).…”

Prevalence of three Mycoplasma sp. by multiplex PCR in cattle with and without respiratory disease in central Mexico

“…On the other hand, Myc. bovis has been also identified in asymptomatic cattle and as the cause of mild pneumonia (Prysliak et al 2011 ; Franca Dias de Oliveira et al 2016 ; Murray et al 2017 ). However, when there is the coinfection of bacteria and viruses, it will cause severe disease (Tegtmeier et al 1999 ; Angen et al 2009 ).…”

Bacterial culture and susceptibility of samples taken from septic foot lesions of adult beef cattle

“…pyogenes is found in many infectious diseases of cattle, such as sinusitis, chronic bacterial pneumonia, and subcutaneous abscesses; however, T. pyogenes is generally not considered a primary pathogen, and usually represents a chronic disease where the primary pathogen has been overgrown due to delay in diagnosis. 23 In a study of antimicrobial resistance patterns to T. pyogenes in cattle, sheep, and goats, low MIC90 values were found for penicillin, amoxicillin, ceftiofur, enrofloxacin, and gentamicin.…”

“…Sole ulcers occur most often in the lateral claws of the pelvic limbs. 23 The pathogenesis of sole ulceration can be due to mechanical factors such as increased wear rate of the sole and abnormal weight bearing, or metabolic factors leading to laminitis and rotation of the apex of the distal phalanx or sinking of the distal phalanx at the flexor tuberosity.…”

“…Regardless of the pathogenesis, abnormal compression of the corium and sole leads to a full-thickness horn defect. 23 Depending on where the abnormal compression is, the ulcer may be in claw Zone 4 (a "Rusterholtz" sole ulcer), Zone 6 (heel ulcer), or Zone 5 (toe ulcer) (Figure 2…”