Bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency in Danish Holstein-Friesian cattle. II. Patho-anatomical description of affected calves.

The patho-anatomical findings in 3 Danish Holstein-Friesian calves affected with bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (BLAD) are described. The diagnosis was confirmed by genotyping for the BLAD mutagene by polymerase chain reaction technique. The main clinical symptoms were general unthriftyness and leukocytosis with a high proportion of neutrophils. None of the calves suffered from severe infections and the major pathological changes were different from those described in previously published cases. One calf had a fibro-granulomatous perilienitis and calcification of splenic stroma and pulmonic arteries. In the other cases only minor pathological changes were present.