Experimental transmission of malignant catarrhal fever to red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Malignant catarrhal fever was transmitted from affected to recipient red deer (Cervus elaphus) using blood or lymphoid suspension as inoculum. Incubation periods ranged from 11 to 26 days. The disease was also transmitted using lymphoid suspension stored overnight at 4 degrees C or at -70 degrees C for 8 months. The experimental disease was characterised by fever, depression, anorexia, diarrhoea and dysentry. The course of the disease was approximately 96 hours. Major lesions consisted of acute mesenteric lymphadenitis and acute haemorrhagic typhlitis and colitis. Lesions in the caecum and colon started as multifocal mucosal haemorrhages and progressed rapidly to massive mucosal haemorrhage.