[Study of one enzootic of viral diarrhea in calves]

Described is the course of a virus diarrhea in calves aged from 40 up to 180 days, the morbidity rate reaching 50 per cent and the mortality rate--28 per cent. The morphologic survey established erosions and inflammatory lesions in the mouth, abomasum, rumen, and intestines. Histologically, there was balooning degeneration of the cells involved as well as karyopycnosis. Virus strains were isolated from the spleen of diseased calves. They were identified as the causative agent of the virus diarrhea-mucosal disease complex. It was found through immunodiffusion that a specific viral antigen exists in the involved mucous membranes of the intestinal tract. The live vaccine was found to be promising of the immunoprophylactic means tested.