Malignant catarrhal fever in pigs and a genetic comparison of porcine and ruminant virus isolates in Finland.
An outbreak of the sheep-associated form of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in a Finnish sow herd was diagnosed by histopathology and confirmed by PCR. Several gilts and sows were suffering from high fever and anorexia and had aborted, and six of them had died. Typical signs of lymphoproliferation and vasculitis were observed histologically in several tissues, including the uterus. Ovine herpesvirus-2 (OvHV-2) was detected by PCR in two sows. Sequences of the OvHV-2 tegument protein gene obtained from the sows and from three cases of sheep-associated mcf in Finnish cattle were compared and found to be identical. These are the first confirmed cases of mcf in pigs in Finland.
Syrjälä
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Department of Animal Diseases and Food Safety Research, Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Kuopio Research Unit, Neulaniementie 4, PO Box 92, FIN-70701 Kuopio, Finland.
Saarinen
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Laine
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Kokkonen
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Veijalainen
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D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008304:Malignant Catarrh / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology