A successful Case report of Kerato-Conjunctivitis in Goat at Nagaland, India

Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC), is a widespread bacterial infection affecting the eyes of domestic goats and sheeps, with occasional cases in wild caprinae (Abdullah et al., 2013). It is characterized by inflammation of cornea and conjunctiva. The primary causative agent is Mycoplasma conjunctivae however, other pathogens including Chlamydophila spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Moraxella ovis, may also be involved (Pandey, 2018). Also, it can also be caused by virus or bacteria within the occular environment (Livingston etal., 2019).The condition can be aggravated by environmental irritants such as dust, tall vegetation, and fly infestations, along with stress factors like transport (Fernandez-Aguilar et al., 2017). IKC in severe cases, lead to blindness (Fernandez-Aguilar et al., 2017). IKC is highly contagious, which can affect as high as 80% of herd (Biswas and Saifuddin, 2017). Clinical signs of IKC include mucopurulent discharge, eyelid spasm (blepharospasm), and cloudiness of the cornea, which can lead to reversible or irreversible blindness (Baker et al., 2001; Abdullah et al., 2014). Transmission occurs via direct contact or through mechanical vectors, such as face flies (Musca autumnalis), and carrier animals may act as reservoirs (Rahaman et al., 2018; Abdullah Jesse et al., 2017). Sheep, in particular, are known carriers of M. conjunctivae and can transmit the infection to goats. Although M. conjunctivae poses no known zoonotic risk (Rahaman et al., 2018), diagnosis in animals generally relies on clinical signs, confirmed through microbial cultures, PCR, and cytology (Biberstein and Hirish, 1999; Kahn and Line, 2005). Prompt treatment is crucial to reduce the risk of scarring and long-term ocular impairment. The given case report aims to assess the successful treatment and management of kerato-conjunctivitis in one year old goat.