Bovine malignant catarrhal fever: case reporting in Central Italy

A case of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) occurred in a 4‑month‑old calf housed in a semi‑intensive herd in central Italy is described. The herd was in strict cohabitation with a group of domestic sheep. The calf displayed clinical signs that resembled the acute form of MCF and, after a few days of antibiotic and anti inflammatory therapy, died in September 2016. The diagnosis was confirmed in vivo in blood by detection of ovine herpesvirus type 2 DNA through real‑time PCR. At necropsy, the gross post‑mortem findings were typical of MCF and the histological and molecular assays confirmed the presence of the virus. The sheep flock was suspected to be the source of the infection. In Italy, as well as in Europe, there is little data regarding the epidemiology and the recurrence of the disease in herds of cattle, due to the lack of an active surveillance plan and to a major consideration of MCF between differential diagnosis.