An epizootic of malignant catarrhal fever. 1. Clinical and pathological observations

Authors: Stewart WJ, Neilson FJA, James MP
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 23, Issue 1-2, pp 9-12, Jan 1975
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Abdomen, Alimentary system/gastroenterology, Disease/defect, Viral, Syndrome, Infectious disease, Pathology
Article class: Scientific Article

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Abstract: Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in cattle may exhibit different clinical signs, classified somewhat arbitrarily as the peracute, alimentary tract, “head and eye” and mild forms. The prevalence of the disease is usually low and sporadic but mortality is high (Plowright, 1968). In New Zealand MCF has been described in cattle (McKinnon and Le Souef, 1956) and has been seen in deer (G. Shirley, pers. comm.) usually as the “head and eye” form, characterised by the sudden onset of pyrexia, anorexia, depression, corneal opacity, mucopurulent ocular and nasal discharge, erosions of the nasal and oral mucosa and enlargement of the superficial lymph nodes. However, reports from North America, Europe and Britain describe epidemics of peracute MCF in cattle and captive deer, with few of the clinical signs typically seen in the “head and eye” form (Murray and Blood, 1961; Gray and Anthony, 1968; Pierson et al. 1973; Wobeser et al 1973; Guard et al 1968; Huck et al 1961). Recently, an enizootic of peracute MCF was investigated on a farm 65 km north of Gisborne. This report describes the clinical and pathoIogical observations of the field investigations and draws attention to the difficulty in making a clinical diagnosis of this form of the disease. The virology is report elsewhere (Horner et al 1974).

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