What is blackleg?
Blackleg has been recognized as a disease of livestock since before medieval times. Today we often use the term to describe several diseases caused by organisms in the Clostridium class of bacteria. However, there are more than 60 different types of Clostridium bacteria, and not all cause disease. What we commonly call blackleg is a highly fatal infection of muscle caused by Clostridium chauvoei. It causes a “gas gangrene” in the muscle of young cattle, usually between 6 months and 2 years old. Blackleg seldom affects cattle older than 2 years, although sporadic cases do occur. Some of the other clostridial diseases are not as restricted to young animals as is blackleg. What are other clostridial diseases? Some diseases caused by other clostridial bacteria include “lockjaw” (tetanus), botulism, enterotoxemia, “red water” (bacillary hemoglobinuria), and malignant edema. The type of disease depends on the particular type of Clostridium and the type and location of toxins produced. In tet
