The clinical and pathological findings in two Friesian calves with leukocyte adhesion deficiency (abstract)

Authors: Burton LJ, Ellison RS, Fairley RA
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 41, Issue 1, pp 45, Mar 1993
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Circulatory system/haematology, Clinical examination, Clinical pathology, Diagnostic procedures, Genetics, Inherited disease/conditions, Pathology
Article class: Abstract

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Abstract: Leukocyte adhesion deficiency is an inherited defect of neutrophil function reported in man, dogs and cattle. In cattle it was first described in 1983 and to date is found only in Holstein Friesians where it is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. The neutrophils of affected calves are less able to migrate from blood vessels to sites of inflammation, thus greatly compromising their ability to fight infection.
Two related male Friesian calves imported as embryos from the United States of America were identified as homozygous for this defect by polymerase chain reaction tests on DNA. The two calves grew at a slower rate than others in the group and when examined at 8 weeks of age, one had soft mucoid faeces and both were salivating due to oral ulcers. These were most noticeable on the oral aspect of the upper lip where the incisor teeth abutted.
Both calves had a marked mature neutrophilia when first sampled at 8 weeks. This increased further over the next week. When necropsied at 9 weeks, total neutrophil counts were 100 and 145 X 10⁹/1 and 3.5% and 7% respectively were bands. This was associated with marked myeloid hyperplasia of the bone marrow.
At necropsy, besides the oral lesions, both calves had variable-sized round to linear ulcers in the intestinal tract covered by a yellow/green adherent membrane. These lesions were throughout but more common in the distal small intestine and were all located on the antimesenteric side of the intestine corresponding to areas of intestinal lymphoid tissue (Peyer’s patches). A few similar lesions located in areas of lymphoid tissue were present in the proximal large intestine.
Histologically, the ulcers in the mouth and intestine had a base of granulation tissue, were infiltrated by mixed mononuclear cells and had neutrophils in reasonable numbers at the surface of the ulcer only. Neutrophils packed the nearby venules. The adherent membrane was composed of fibrin, a few unidentifiable degenerate leukocytes and masses of bacteria. Massive numbers of neutrophils packed the splenic red pulp and they were abundant in the sinusoids of the liver and the capillaries of the lung. The edge of the ulcers in the mouth had typical lesions of papular stomatitis.

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