(sSynonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

Enzootic calf pneumonia (viral phase)

The disease in brief

Inflammation of the lungs and bronchi of multifactorial origin. The disease is caused by different species of viruses, bacteria and mycoplasmas. Risk factors related to the environment or the animal contribute to the onset of cases or the severity of cases. Viruses and mycoplasmas act initially, some bacterial species cause complications secondarily.

Here we are at the initial stage of the disease, the infection is viral.

The main viruses involved are respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and parainfluenza virus type 3, but many other viruses can be involved (coronavirus, influenza D virus, BVD virus, etc.).

Clinic & diagnosis

Fever, increased respiratory rate, small-deep cough, abundant-clear sputum, epiphora-lacrimation, increased respiratory sounds on auscultation are noted.

Hyperthermia is the first sign of the disease. Controlling it allows early detection of cases and action with the best results.

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

- Heat stroke compensation shortness of breath RS23

- Pulmonary heart-heart failure N14

-Caudal vena cava thrombosis N220

-Poisoning with respiratory manifestation N362

-Poisoning by a cyanogenic plant: Water glyceria, Flax, Creeping clover, Vetch, Grass pea N138

-Poisoning by nitrates, ammonium nitrates or nitrites TX1.3

Confirm a suspicion?

Nasal swabs often reveal diverse flora that is not representative of the disease. Tracheobronchial lavage is the method of choice for detecting pathogens (particularly by multiplex PCR).

Coupled serological sampling at the start and end of the illness, 3 weeks apart, can help provide a group view.

Prognosis and treatment

Treatment is based on the administration of antibiotics to avoid bacterial complications, which are certain. The post-treatment prognosis is variable and depends in particular on the existence of high-impact risk factors (very poor ventilation, poor colostral intake, etc.)

Prevention

Prevention of these infections focuses on controlling viral and bacterial infections byadministration of often multivalent vaccines.

Controlling and correcting risk factors is also essential. This depends enormously on the types of farms affected, the factors being very specific to the category of animals affected: calves from suckler farms (colostral intake, weather conditions, building environment, etc.), veal calves (ventilation, feeding, quality of the incoming calf, etc.) or young cattle in fattening workshops (transport, number of different origins in the batches, quarantine, environment, etc.).

References

Veterinary Medicine-Pocket companion -9th Edition BLOOD DC-page 162