title: Use of tilmicosin in a severe outbreak of respiratory disease in weaned beef calves.
abstract: Severe respiratory disease, associated with seroconversion to bovine respiratory syncitial virus (BRSV), caused the death of two cattle and necessitated antibiotic treatment of 70 calves (rectal temperature of 39.6 degrees C or greater) from a group of 96 (73%) during an 8-day period. Tilmicosin injection resulted in a reduction in median rectal temperature from 40.3 degrees C to 39.2 degrees C and 39.0 degrees C for the first and second days after treatment. The rectal temperature was 39.5 degrees C or lower in 72% (48 of 67) and 96% (64 of 67) of cattle 1 and 2 days after tilmicosin treatment, respectively. Ten cattle were re-treated with tilmicosin 6 to 16 days after the first treatment. Our study demonstrated that bovine respiratory syncytial virus infection could cause severe respiratory disease in a beef herd that had no previous history of BRSV-related disease. Secondary bacterial invasion after BRSV infection was controlled effectively by tilmicosin treatment but repeat antibiotic treatments were occasionally necessary due to bacterial re-infection of the respiratory tract.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McGowan
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Sargison
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Penny
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Lowman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003002:Clonixin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D018942:Macrolides; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015645:Tylosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018942:Macrolides; C014557:flunixin; D003002:Clonixin; C052319:tilmicosin; D015645:Tylosin