Cytological and bacteriological studies of lymph nodes of slaughtered sheep in and around Hyderabad

Lymph nodes in sheep brought for slaughter in and around Hyderabad were analysed on the basis of bacteriological and cytological examinations. Of 2266 lymph nodes collected, 247 (10.90%) lymph nodes were found to be abnormal and in the impression smears the kind of cells observed included plasma cells, mast cells, neutrophils, red blood cells, lymphoblasts, epithelioid cells, eosinophils, bipolar organisms and acid-fast bacilli in 26, 20, 11, 18, 20, 11, 23, 8 and 5 cases respectively and 56 (22.67%) lymph nodes were positive in bacterial culture and smear examination. Mycobacterium sp. (5 cases), Pseudomonas sp. (1), Pasteurella sp. (8), E.coli (37) and Staphylococcus aureus (5) were identified both by cultural isolation and cytological smear examination.