Veterinary Preventive Medicine-II

SYNONYMS AND INTRODUCTION

Synonyms : Bovine malignant catarrh, Malignant head catarrh, Catarrhal fever, Epitheliosis

Introduction

• Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is almost invariably fatal disease of cattle characterized by catarrhal inflammation of the nasal and oral mucosa, keratoconjunctivitis, encephalitis, rapid dehydration and generalized enlargement of lymphnodes.
• The disease is usually sporadic in nature.
• The disease is world-wide distribution and prevalent in both temperate and tropical zones.
• This disease is caused by ovine herpes virus -1 and alcelaphine herpes virus- 2 which are belonging to the family Herpesviridae.
• The disease is primarily a disease of cattle and buffalo. Inapparent infection has been noted in sheep and goat. Now the disease is increasingly encountered in deer.
• This disease is transmitted through wildbeast. The wildbeast develop viraemia which may persist up to 3 months and during that time they remain highly infective for cattle of all ages.
• Cattle acquire the infection through sub clinically affected sheep. The sheep are the indicator host and wild rabbits are the reservoir host for MCF.