Aujezkey's disease

AUJESZKY'S DISEASE

Synonym: Pseudorabies, infectious bulbar paralysis, mad itch

Definition

  • This is a disease affecting many species of animals (pigs, cattle, dogs, cats, sheep and rats etc.) caused by pantropic virus belonging to the group of herpes viruses

Etiology

  • Herpes virus

Incidence

  • The disease was first described in 1902 by Aujeszky in Hungary, but is now known to occur in many parts of the world including India

Susceptibilty

  • Pigs and rodents are the natural hosts
  • Man is also susceptible

Transmission

  • Infection occurs by rubbing of snout of pigs on to an abraded skin
  • Intranasal infection
  • Incubation period- 7 days in natural infection

Pathogenesis

  • Virus affects all embryonic layers
  • Via Peripheral nerves invade into the sp. cord- local reaction on the muscle and fascia- necrosis
  • Spinal cord – Ganglia showed neuronal degeneration and proliferation of glial cells
  • Pruritus (itching)
  • Non purulent encephalomyelitis.

Clinical signs

  • Cattle
    • Biting and kicking with continuou maniacal behavior.
    • Paralysis – Pyrexia and death within 6 to 48 hrs.
    • Some cases - Sudden death without any symptoms.
    • Young pigs are usuallly affected
  • Swine
    • Pigs – paralysis, incoordination, convulsion, tremors, vomition.
    • Pruritus is not seen in pigs
    • Death occurs within 12 hours in young pigs

Gross lesions

  • Inflammation, pulmonary oedema, pneumonia, laryngitis, gastroenteritis, myocarditis,
  • Necrosis of spleen and liver

Microscoic lesions

  • Intranuclear inclusion bodies seen in the degenerated neurons of cerebral cortex in pigs
  • Non purulent encephalitis with perivascular cuffing
  • Meningitis

Diagnosis

  • Characteristic symptoms and lesions
  • Subcutaneous inoculation of oedematous fluid, parts of spinal cord and brain into Rabbits causes pruritus within 48 hours.
Last modified: Monday, 19 March 2012, 5:19 AM