Malignant catarrhal fever : a case study and review of the etiology and pathogenesis
A 3.5 year old, Ayrshire dairy cow presented for euthanasia and necropsy. She had a history of fever, submandibular lymphadenopathy, corneal edema causing blindness, teat lesions, melena and mucopurulent nasal discharge. She was reported to have aborted ten days earlier. The referring veterinarian's differential diagnoses included: Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis, Bovine Viral Diarrhea and Malignant Catarrhal Fever. Blood samples were submitted for serology and the state veterinarian was called. Necropsy revealed oral, nasal, teat and digital erosions, mucopurulent nasal discharge and corneal opacitites. Emphysema, petechiations and erosions at various levels of the gastrointestinal tract and melena was found. Histopathology revealed vasculitis in few tissues including the brain and liver. The serology submitted was positive for Ovine herpes virus -2, confirming the diagnosis of MCF. This presentation will present these findings, discuss the differential diagnosis and review current etiology and pathogenesis.