Outbreak of Bovine Ephemeral Fever (BEF) in an Organized Dairy Farm of Punjab D.K
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Indian J. Vet. Med. Vol. 40, No. 1, 2020 pp. 33-34 Short Communications Outbreak of Bovine Ephemeral Fever (BEF) in an organized dairy farm of Punjab D.K. Gupta1* and Vishal Mahajan2 1Department of Veterinary Medicine, 2Animal Disease Research Centre, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana Bovine ephemeral fever (BEF), a noncontagious were there so TRP was ruled out. Based on history, inflammatory disease is caused by the bovine ephemeral clinical and hemato-biochemical findings, the cases were fever virus of family Rhabdoviridae and genus diagnosed of Bovine Ephemeral Fever. The treatment of Ephemerovirus and affects cattle for short duration (Uren affected cows was comprised of Inj Tefrocef (Ceftiofur) et al., 1992). Various other local names such as 3-day 1 g IM bid, Inj. Artizone-S (Phenylbutazone 200 mg and sickness, bovine enzootic fever, bovine influenza or Sodium Salicylate 20 mg/ml) 15 ml IM bid, Inj. Mifex stiffseitke are in use for BEF. The life cycle of BEF virus is (Dextrose, Calcium) 300 ml iv and 150 ml sc, Inj. Tribivet maintained through a vector-host system (Murray, 1997). (Vit B) for three days. Most animals improved in 2 days The virus agent is spread by various species of midges and post treatment and recovered completely within another mosquitoes (Venter et al., 2003) or by movement of the 2 days. The owner of the farm was advised to separate host (Murray, 1997). Outbreaks of BEF occur when vector the affected cows from the healthy ones. population probably mosquitoes increase in number, Bovine ephemeral fever is a viral disease of cattle resulting in high rates of virus transmission to susceptible and buffaloes. Its occurrence in the tropics cannot be cattle. There can be considerable economic impacts of overlooked. The clinical severity of the disease is not BEF which primarily entail cessation of lactation in apparent and the mortality is low. The animals affected dairy cattle, loss of condition in beef animals, and the in this outbreak were adult crossbred cows. Malviya and immobilisation of water buffalo used for draught purpose Prasad (1977) also observed occurrence of disease more (Aziz-Boaron et al., 2014). frequently in Bos taurus/Bos indicus cross-bred animals An organized dairy cattle farm of Chunni Kala, than in local breeds and the highest incidence occurred Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab in the month of August, 2018 in older cattle. In the present outbreak, sudden rise of had problem of high fever, acute lameness with some body temperature, salivation, shivering, inappetance, respiratory distress, sudden drop in milk production, and suspended rumination, acute lameness with stiffness of death of 2 animals during last fortnight. On visiting the limbs and sternal recumbency in some cows were evident. farm, it was found that a total of 10 (9.09%) adult cows The clinical findings are in corroboration of Radostits out of 110 heads were affected clinically with clinical et al. (2005). The hemato-biochemical examination of signs of sudden rise of body temperature (104-106 ̊F), affected cows revealed relative neutrophilia with mild salivation, shivering, inappetance, suspended rumination left shift, lowered calcium levels and higher creatinine and acute lameness with stiffness of limbs. Some animals kinase levels than normal. The recumbency in some became recumbent. The blood samples from five affected cows may be attributed to the hypocalcemia. Fenwick animals and one healthy cow were collected. The and Daniel (1996) also observed a marked neutrophilic hematological examination revealed relative neutrophilia leukocytosis with a shift to the left and a lymphopenia. with mild left shift. The blood samples were negative for There was a marked increase in creatine kinase and hemoprotozoan. Fecal samples were negative for ova significant hypocalcemia in natural cases. The clinical or cyst. In affected animals, calcium levels were found findings along with laboratory findings made the basis lower than normal and creatinine kinase levels higher of diagnosis. than normal. Nasal swabs of affected cows were negative The outbreak of the disease occurred in the for Pasturella multocida. Fodder samples were subjected month of August. During this period, there is hot and to nitrate/ nitrite examination but found negative. Feed humid climate favours the growth of vectors. Malviya sample, TMR and silage were negative for aflatoxins. All and Prasad (1977) also reported the disease from April to the animals were magnet fed and no per rectal findings October with the highest incidence in July and August. The cows got recovered after treatment with antibiotics, *Corresponding author: [email protected] 34 Gupta and Mahajan Table: Hemato-biochemical parameters in affected and healthy cows Animal Hb TLC DLC Remarks Serum Biochemistry identification (g %) ×103 028 7.2 8.8 N-56, L-44 Mild left shift Ca-7.1mg/dL, Creatinine Kinase (CK)-732 U/L 014 7.6 6.5 N-58, L-42 Mild left shift Ca-5.6 mg/dl, CK -985 146 11.8 7.7 N-46, L-54 Mild to moderate left Ca- 6.5 mg/dl, shift CK -1202 U/L 143 11.2 10.8 N-38, L-62 Mild left shift Ca-7.5 mg/dl, CK -1104 U/L 51 9.0 4.5 N-64, L-36 Mild left shift Ca-5.9 mg/dl, CK -823 U/L 01 (Healthy) 10.8 8.4 N-58, L-42 NAD Ca-8.3 mg/dl, CK- 70 U/L Normal Range Ca : 9.7 to 12.4 mg/dL; Creatinine Kinase: 35-280 units/L non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and calcium therapy. Murray, M. D. 1997. Possible vectors of bovine ephemeral fever St. George (1997) in an extensive study revealed that in the 1967/68 epizootic in northern Victoria. Aust. Vet. J.: palliative intramuscular treatment with the non-steroidal 75(3): 220. anti-inflammatory drug such as phenylbutazone resulted Naikoo, M., Dhami, A.J., Parmar, B.C., Divekar, B.S. and in remission of signs without in any way influencing Ramakrishnan, A. 2011. Medical management of bovine ephemeral fever outbreak. Proc. XXIX National Symposium the development of the disease. He further added that by Indian Society for Veterinary Medicine held on Feb. 17- parenteral treatment with calcium borogluconate proved 19, 2011, Nagpur, pp. 6. beneficial in recumbent cows due to hypocalcemia. Prasad, B., Manuja S., Khishtwaria, R.S., Rao V.N. and Singh, Similarly, Naikoo et al. (2011) reported a significant R.J. 1997. Clinical report of ephemeral fever in cattle. Indian response of phenylbutazone and salicylate during BEF Vet. J.: 74: 685–686. outbreak in indigenous cows. Radostits, O. M., Gay, C.C., Hinchcliff, K.W. and Constable, P.D. Bovine ephemeral fever causes high morbidity, 2005. Veterinary Medicine. A Text book of the Disease of huge economic losses in terms of significant reduction in Cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and horses. 10th ed. W.B. Saunders, production along with a variety of complications resulting London, pp. 1177-1179. from the disease. The present report emphasizes not to St George, T.D. 1997. Effective treatment of bovine ephemeral overlook this disease and prompt diagnosis and treatment fever. Aust. Vet. J.: 75: 221. should be initiated to avoid losses. Uren, M. F. , St. George, T. D. and Murphy, G. M. 1992. Studies on the pathogenesis of bovine ephemeral fever in experimental References cattle III. Virological and biochemical data. Vet. Microbiol.: 30(4): 297–307. Aziz-Boaron, O., Gleser, D., Yadin, H., Gelman, B., Kedmi, M., Venter, G. J., Hamblin, C. and Paweska, J. T. 2003. Determination Galon, N., Klement, E. 2014. The protective effectiveness of the oral susceptibility of South African livestock-associated of an inactivated bovine ephemeral fever virus vaccine. Vet. biting midges, Culicoides species, to bovine ephemeral fever Microbiol.: 173: 1–8. virus. Med. Vet. Entomol.: 17(2): 133–137. Fenwick, D.C. and Daniel, R.C.W. 1996. Evaluation of the effect Received : 24.02.2020 of ketoprofen on experimentally induced ephemeral fever in Accepted : 18.05.2020 dairy heifer. Aust. Vet. J.: 74: 37-41. Malviya, H.K. and Prasad, J. 1977. Ephemeral fever—a clinical and epidemiological study in cross bred cows and buffaloes. Indian Vet. J.: 54: 440–444..