General aspects

GENERAL ASPECTS
  • Definition: Pseudorabies is an acute, frequently fatal disease affecting most species of domestic and wild animals. However, pigs are the natural host and dogs and cattle are also affected. The disease is caused by a herpes virus and is characterized by a variety of clinical signs, which include nervous and respiratory symptoms. The infection is characterized by severe itching and self-mutilation. Since, the symptoms resemble rabies, the disease is also known as pseudorabies.
  • Synonyms: Pseudo rabies, Mad itch, Infectious bulbar paralysis

Baltimore group Group I - Double stranded DNA viruses
Family Herpesviridae
Subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae
Genus Varicellovirus
Species Pseudo rabies virus (PRV)

  • Morphology: Typical of herpesviruses as described above
  • OIE Listing: List B disease (multispecies infection)
  • Risk group: PRV does not produce any infection in human beings
  • Replication: As mentioned under Herpesviridae
  • Resistance: PRV is comparatively a stable virus. It can remain viable in pulmonary fluid and under refrigerated conditions for a long time. It can withstand heating to 55-60C for 30-50 minutes, 70C for 10 minutes and 80C for three minutes. The virus is also sensitive to 5% phenol and 1% NaOH. The virus is also destroyed in putrefied carcass.
  • HA property: The virus does not cause agglutination of RBC
Last modified: Friday, 1 October 2010, 9:27 AM