Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) is a contagious bacterial infection of the lymph nodes in sheep and goats. CL is caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, a bacterium that can be cultured by standard methods. In addition, infection by this organism can lead to abscesses in horses (Pigeon Fever) or cutaneous lesions or mastitis in cattle. The UVDL has two methods to determine if an animal is infected: bacterial culture and detection of antibodies in blood after infection.
The UVDL is currently accepting submissions of blood samples or swabs from sheep and goats suspected of having CL.
Please submit either blood in red top tubes or serum in nonadditive blood tubes or swabs taken from the outer edge of an abscess or other sites of infection.
Please submit blood samples to the UVDL using the general submission form and under Serology write “Testing for CL” in Other:___________.