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Aujeszky's disease in a cow
E P Power1, M O'Connor, W J Donnelly
1Department of Agriculture and Food, Regional Veterinary Laboratory, Cork, Ireland.
The Veterinary Record
|January 6, 1990
Summary
Aujeszky's disease virus caused non-suppurative encephalitis in a cow, confirmed by antigen detection and virus isolation. Nearby pigs showed high antibody titers, suggesting a potential transmission route.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Neurology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Aujeszky's disease, caused by Suid herpesvirus 1, is a significant concern in swine and can affect cattle.
- Non-suppurative encephalitis presents a diagnostic challenge in veterinary neurology.
Observation:
- A cow exhibited nervous signs and died within 10 hours, with post-mortem examination revealing non-suppurative encephalitis and intraneuronal intranuclear inclusions.
- Immunogold-silver staining identified Aujeszky's disease virus antigen within neuronal cytoplasm.
- The virus was successfully isolated from extensive nervous tissue and tonsil samples.
Findings:
- Virus isolation and antigen detection confirmed Aujeszky's disease virus as the causative agent of encephalitis in the cow.
- High antibody titers to Aujeszky's disease virus were detected in fattening pigs housed in adjacent facilities.
- Transient, low antibody titers were noted in in-contact cows, indicating potential subclinical exposure.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential for Aujeszky's disease virus to cause severe neurological disease in cattle.
- The proximity to infected pigs suggests a possible route of transmission, emphasizing the importance of biosecurity measures.
- Understanding antibody dynamics in exposed cattle is crucial for disease surveillance and control strategies.