Re: Blue tongue in cattle



Jim Webster wrote:
Just reading Agrafacts, and so far there are at least 50 confirmed
cases on Netherlands, Belgium and Germany all within the 20km zone
around the initial outbreak.
However there are suspected cases in Netherlands pretty close to the
outer 150km surveillance zone.
One problem spotted by the Belgians is is they had been investigating
symptoms in cattle for a fortnight before they got confirmation of the
disease in Netherlands.It seems that this strain of the disease is
producing clinical symptoms in cattle which are normally only
carriers. At the same time the mortality in sheep is far lower than
expected


--
For reference:
http://www.oie.int/eng/maladies/fiches/a_A090.htm
BLUETONGUE

Aetiology Epidemiology Diagnosis Prevention and control References


AETIOLOGY

Classification of the causative agent


Virus family Reoviridae, genus Orbivirus. 24 serotypes have been
identified.

Resistance to physical and chemical action


Temperature: Inactivated by 50°C/3 hours; 60°C/15 minutes
pH: Sensitive to pH <6.0 and >8.0
Chemicals: Inactivated by ß-propiolactone
Disinfectants: Inactivated by iodophores and phenolic compounds
Survival: Very stable in the presence of protein (e.g. has survived
for years in blood stored at 20°C)




EPIDEMIOLOGY

a.. Mortality rate normally low in sheep but up to 10% in some
epizooties
b.. Noncontagious
Hosts


a.. Sheep: disease; variation in breed susceptibility
b.. Cattle, goats, dromedaries, wild ruminants: generally inapparent
infection
Transmission


a.. Biological vectors: Culicoides spp.
Sources of virus


a.. Infected Culicoides
b.. Blood
c.. Semen
Occurrence


The virus is present in a broad band of countries extending appriximately
between 40°N and 35°S. The bluetongue virus has been shown by serology to be
present in regions where the Culicoides vector is present (e.g. Africa, the
Americas, Australia and some countries of southern Asia and Oceania).
However, clinical disease with confirmation by virus isolation has been
observed in a few countries only.

For detailed information on occurrence, see recent issues of World Animal
Health and the OIE Bulletin




DIAGNOSIS

Incubation period is 5-20 days

Clinical diagnosis


Acute form (sheep and some species of deer)

a.. Pyrexia up to 42°C, depression
b.. Inflammation, ulceration, erosion and necrosis of the mucosae of the
mouth
c.. Swollen and sometimes cyanotic tongue
d.. Lameness due to coronitis or pododermatitis and myositis
e.. Abortion
f.. Complications of pneumonia
g.. Emaciation
h.. Either death within 8-10 days or long recovery with alopecia,
sterility and growth delay
Inapparent infection

a.. Frequent in cattle and other species (cf. epidemiology)
Lesions


a.. Congestion, oedema, haemorrhages and ulcerations of digestive and
respiratory mucosae (mouth, oesophagus, stomach, intestine, pituitary
mucosa, tracheal mucosa)
b.. Congestion of hoof laminae and coronary band
c.. Hypertrophy of lymph nodes and splenomegaly
d.. Severe bilateral broncholobular pneumonia (when complications occur)
Differential diagnosis


a.. Contagious ecthyma
b.. Foot and mouth disease
c.. Photosensitisation
d.. Pneumonia
e.. Polyarthritis, footrot, foot abscesses
f.. Plant poisonings
g.. Peste des petits ruminants
h.. Coenurosis
i.. Epizootic haemorrhagic disease of deer
Laboratory diagnosis


Procedures

Isolation of the agent

a.. Inoculation of sheep
b.. Intravascular inoculation in 10-12-day-old embryonated chicken eggs
Identification of the agent

a.. Plaque reduction serum neutralisation (for serotyping - many
cross-reactions)
Serological tests

a.. Competitive ELISA
b.. Agar gel immunodiffusion
(prescribed tests in the Manual)
a.. Virus neutralisation
b.. Complement fixation


Samples

Isolation and identification of the agent

a.. Living animals: blood in heparin
b.. Freshly dead animals: spleen, liver, red bone marrow, heart blood,
lymphnodes
c.. Aborted and congenitally infected newborn animals: precolostrum
serum plus same samples as for freshly dead animals
d.. All samples have to be preserved at 4°C, and not frozen
Serological tests

a.. Paired sample sera

PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Sanitary prophylaxis


a.. No efficient treatment
b.. Disease-free areas:
a.. quarantine and serological survey
b.. vector control, especially in aircraft
c.. Infected areas:
a.. vector control
Medical prophylaxis


a.. Vaccination with modified live virus vaccine. Serotypes incorporated
into the vaccine must be the same as those causing infection in the field.



REFERENCES AND OTHER INFORMATION

a.. Reference experts and laboratories
b.. Classified as an OIE List A disease (A090)
c.. Chapter 2.1.9. in the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for
Terrestrial Animals.
d.. Terrestrial Animal Health Code
a.. Other references - see the Index
e.. World Animal Health .
f.. Current Animal Health Status (Disease Information)

--

regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks
Housing; Equipment, Books, Videos, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Working Holidays in Scotland
http://www.kintaline.co.uk


.



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