Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

Malignant catharral fever-peracute(alimentary) form

The disease in brief

The disease is caused by 2 viruses hosted by sheep and wildlife but which do not attack their main host; in cattle it is a very regularly fatal disease. The hyperacute form occurs mainly in the form of collective cases with very high morbidity; it occurs in cattle mixed with sheep or antelopes or wildebeest. Transmission occurs by contact with infected source animals, and also the placenta of infected ewes.

Clinic & diagnosis

The disease is suspected by observing a wide variety of symptom combinations:

 -A bovine that drools with : On the muzzle or in the nasal cavities lesions of various appearances: erythema, erosions or excoriations combined with:  

-sheep nearby.                 

-multicentric hypertrophy of the lymph nodes or localized to the retropharyngeal or parotid or submaxillary or superficial ulcer lesions (<1.5cm) on the lips or the ridge or the gums or the posterior palate.

 -Fever with inflamed or swollen and painful mouth walls

–Profuse diarrhea which distinguishes it from more classic forms

-Respiratory signs of dyspnea

 -Local respiratory signs dominated by nasal mucosa with erosions or a putrefactive odor of expired air or a sniffing or hooting sound. 

- Eye signs of conjunctivitis and the cornea which becomes completely opaque and white

-Nervous signs : A bovine (> 2 months) which does not react to stimulation, or has a drowsy pace, or is ataxic or pushes against the wall.

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

-Acute mucous membrane disease DG44.5

 -Foot and mouth disease MC

 -IBR RS18

-Papular stomatitis DG10

Vesicular stomatitis N274 

Confirm a suspicion?

Collect blood on EDTA (purple cap tube) to perform a PCR test in a laboratory equipped:

Prognosis and treatment

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be administered, but death is the almost inexorable outcome.

Prevention

Avoid cohabitation of cattle with lambing ewes

References

Veterinary Medicine-Pocket companion -9th Edition BLOOD DC-page 394