Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF)

Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF)

1. Aetiology

   • Herpesvirus
     • not fully characterised
     • ovine herpesvirus-2
   • Epidemiology
     • rare sporadic disease
       • unusual to see more than 1 case
         • outbreaks do occur
       • contact with sheep/goats around lambing
     • affects cattle and deer
       • associated with sheep
     • cattle are dead end hosts
     • virus is very fragile
       • <1 day outside the host

2. Clinical Signs

   • acute onset
     • anorexia
     • depression
     • pyrexia
   • almost always adult animals
   • scleral congestion with bilateral keratitis
     • corneal opacity eventually causes blindness
   • erosive stomatitis of mucosa
     • profuse muco-purulent oculo-nasal discharge
   • generalised superficial LN enlargment
   • nervous signs
     • muscle tremors
     • hyperaesthesia
     • incoordination
     • head pressing
     • convulsions
   • general exudative dermatitis
   • diarrhea
   • Diagnosis
     • Hx with sheep and nervous signs
     • DDx
       • IBR
       • BVD
       • BTV
       • VSV
       • FMD
       • Other mucosal disease
     • ELISA antibody test
     • PCR detection of DNA

3. Treatment

   • none
   • mortality close to 100%
     • in 5-10 days
   • euthanasia on humane grounds
   • chronic cases temporarily recover then re-lapse