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NEW PINKEYE STRAIN
What is going on with this “new” form of pinkeye that we have been dealing with the last couple
years? This new strain has been referred to the “sheep pinkeye” because it was originally falsely
labeled by labs as Moraxella ovis. Since its original isolation in our area around 2002, the
organism has been correctly identified as a distinct specie called Moraxella bovoculi.
The infectious pinkeye disease is caused by bacteria belonging to the specie Moraxella. The
main culprit is Moraxella bovis. We know how to manage pinkeye caused from M. bovis, but
with M. bovoculi the old treatment regimens do not apply. Traditional pinkeye vaccines offer
very little, if any, protection and treating with traditional antibiotics may only be successful if the
disease is caught very early. To complicate matters, both bacteria may be present in an infection.
The eye will start to water a lot and then proceed to develop an ulcer or white spot in the center
or off-center of the eye. If not caught early enough, the eye develops a very bad ulceration
termed a “melting cornea”. That is exactly what it looks like too! One or both eyes may be
affected. An animal can be effected in one eye and heal that eye only to get an infection in the
other eye later on.
Moraxella bovoculi strains can be different from ranch to ranch. Each ranch can have its own
type or sub-specie of the bacteria. Protection from traditional pinkeye strains is almost none.
We have found that a culture of the eye lesions and making of a specific vaccine for that bacteria
strain isolated is the best form of prevention. This is termed an “autogenous vaccine” and has
been very successful in preventing future outbreaks. The glitch is that once a bacteria is isolated
it may take up to 8 weeks for the lab to make a vaccine!!! That is great for prevention in future
calves, but not very helpful for now. The good news is we can get USDA approval to use an
autogenous vaccine in adjacent herds. This has been helpful, but producers must always be
aware that each ranch can have its own version of the bacteria and there is little to no protection
offered with different strains.
How do we manage this new pinkeye infection? We recommend the use of a very good
commercial pinkeye vaccine in the vaccine program in the spring and fall. Boosters will
definitely have to be timed in any program for optimal immunity. This will help to control the
original pinkeye disease from M. bovis and prevent the development of duo infections with M.
bovoculi. Management of face flies, tall weeds, and dust to decrease eye irritation. Early
awareness and detection of watery eyes and the use of mass medication antibiotics in the
mineral, feed or treatments can also be helpful. As always we are encouraging culturing eyes
and the development of pinkeye vaccines for future use.