Veterinary Preventive Medicine-II

DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND CONTROL

Diagnosis

• Specimens for isolation of virus -epithelium from lesions and vesicular fluid
• Prompt laboratory confirmation is required because of similarities between vesicular stomatitis, foot-and-mouth disease and swine vesicular disease.
• If horses present with vesicular lesions, infection with vesicular stomatitis virus should be considered
• Antigen detection- CFT or ELISA
• Virus isolation in suitable cell lines, in embryonated eggs or in suckling mice by intracerebral inoculation.
• FAT, ELlSA, CFT or the virus neutralization tests are suitable for identification of the isolates
• Electron microscopy can be used to identify virus in specimens or tissue culture.
• Serological tests- CFT, the virus neutralization test, competitive ELISA or lgM-specific capture ELISA.
• Because levels of complement fixing and IgM79 antibodies persist for only short periods, assays based on procedures involving these antibodies can be used to confirm recent infections in endemic areas.

Treatment and control

• Specific treatment is not available. Measures aimed at minimizing secondary infections may be beneficial.
• Movement restrictions and a 30-day quarantine period following the last clinical cases are recommended for infected premises.
• Insect-proof buildings and avoidance of habitats associated with insect vectors reduce the likelihood of infection.
• Although both inactivated and attenuated vaccines have been used, they are not commercially available.