Serological evidence of respiratory syncytial virus infection in lambs

Authors: Jones S, Davies DH
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 33, Issue 9, pp 155-156, Sep 1985
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Clinical pathology, Diagnostic procedures, Notifiable organisms/exotic disease, Pneumonia/pleurisy, Disease/defect, Respiratory system, Infectious disease, Viral
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: The results of field trials of a live parainfluenza virus type3 (PI₃) vaccine suggested that PI₃ might not be the only virus involved in the initiation of outbreaks of pneumonia in lambs in New Zealand. The outbreaks that were not associated with infection with PI₃ could not be linked to infection with the other ovine respiratory viruses then known to be present in New Zealand (ovine adenovirus type 6 and the ovine variant of bovine adenovirus type 7 suggesting that other unrecognised viruses might be involved. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of pneumonia in human infants and in cattle. This virus has recently been isolated from a yearling ewe with mild rhinitis and there is serological evidence of infection in adult sheep. However, there are no reports implicating this virus in outbreaks of pneumonia in lambs, although experimental infection of lambs with a bovine isolate of RSV resulted in reduced pulmonary bacterial clearance leading to secondary pneumonic pasteurellosis…

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