Herpesvirus mamilit of cattle

Abstract

Herpesvirus mamilit in cattle is a viral disease characterized by vesicular, erosive and necrotic lesions of the skin of the nipples and udder. Currently, there are two forms of this disease, PSLD (pseudo-lumpy skin disease) and BHM (bovine herpetic mamilit).

          The first report on the isolation of herpesvirus from cattle with dermatitis (strain Allerton) dates back to 1957, when in South Africa diseases were observed among cows with lumpy dermatitis with ulcerative damage to the skin of the udder nipples. Later, in the 60s of the last century, there were reports of cases of ulcerative mamilitis of viral etiology among cows in Bulgaria, Australia and in the countries of South Africa - Rwanda and Tanzania. In all cases of herpesvirus mamilitis, the causative agent of the disease was identified as herpesvirus of the 2nd serotype. The herpesvirus etiology of the disease was also laboratory confirmed in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Germany and the Czech Republic.

         In Ukraine, the first report of herpesvirus mamilitis of cattle (ulcerative mamilitis of cows) appeared only in 2003, although diseases with similar clinical signs were known earlier.

         Infection of dairy cattle can significantly affect productivity (decrease by about 20 %), chronic mastitis arising from this disease leads to a decrease in the number of productive animals. Natural infection caused by BoHV-2 occurs mainly in heifers and first lactation cows. Calving can be a factor in the reactivation of the virus. The natural transmission mechanism of the BoHV-2 virus is not fully understood. Most people talk about mechanical transmission through milking machines, through attendants, through the bites of Stomoxys calcitrans flies. The intact nipple skin is resistant to the penetration of the virus, which proves once again that any nipple injury is preceded by an infection.

       Serological studies show that the virus is common in livestock throughout the world. According to clinical signs, it is rather difficult to differentiate this disease from other viral diseases (viral diarrhea, malignant catarrhal fever, parapoxviruses, infectious rhinotracheitis in cattle). The specialist literature describes the treatment of BoHV-2 disease in cows. The authors used Intacef for injection (Intas pharma, 3 g i / m), anistamine for injection (10 ml i / m), Melonex (10 ml i / m). Udder ulcers were treated with povidone-iodine ointment twice daily for 5 days. On the 5th day of treatment, the animals recovered.

          Vaccines for specific prevention of this disease have not been developed. Sick animals are separated (if possible) from the general herd and treated. Clinically affected animals are milked last. The udders and teats should be disinfected to reduce the spread of the virus. It is imperative to disinfect the milking machines and hands after each cow and after milking. The udder skin should be monitored to prevent mastitis.

        The widespread spread of this disease among productive animals, significant economic losses in the form of reduced milk yield and treatment costs, and the difficult differentiation of this disease from other viral diseases prompts veterinarians to pay special attention to this disease.