Characterization of early-stage lesions and investigation on the role of mucosal trauma in hemorrhagic bowel syndrome in cattle.

Hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS) is characterized by a dissecting intramucosal hematoma at the small bowel, causing obstruction and severe hemorrhage in dairy cattle. Recent investigation revealed the presence of early-stage lesions in cows affected by HBS. These are presumed to be the initial stage of the hematoma, as both share unique dissection of the lamina muscularis mucosae (LMM) as histological hallmark. Early-stage lesions of HBS have not been characterized in greater detail, and neither has the hypothesis of mucosal abrasion as etiology been explored. Therefore, the first objective of the present study was to characterize the morphology of early-stage lesions, by gross examination, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy. The second objective was to determine the effect of mucosal abrasion to the small intestine in an