Malignant catarrhal fever IntroductionMalignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is the most important viral disease of farmed or ranched bison (Bison bison and Bison bonasus) and deer (7,9,16,20,28,53,80,118,128). The disease, as a clinical entity, is known on all continents and in most countries. At least three types of the virus have been implicated in the disease.The disease is caused by members of the gammaherpesviruses group. Alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 (AHV-1), carried asymptomatically by the wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) in Africa, has been diagnosed in disease outbreaks in zoos in North America. Ovine herpesvirus-2 (OHV-2) is carried asymptomatically by sheep (117). A third, as yet unnamed virus, has been detected in an outbreak of MCF in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) (80).There are at least 25 herpesviruses serologically related to AHV-1 that have been detected in a variety of ruminants, but only AHV-1, OHV-2 and a new virus in white-tailed deer appear to be pathogenic (80,107,116,117). TransmissionOf the three pathogenic forms of the virus, AHV-1 from wildebeest (WA-MCF or wildebeest-associated MCF) is the best understood. Sheep-associated MCF (SA-MCF) occurs when sheep are maintained together with susceptible species. Ewes experience a recrudescence of infection in late pregnancy and

Abstract. An outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) among bison sold at an auction market was studied for an 18-month period. Forty-five of 163 bison submitted for sale from 8 different bison farms died on 7 other destination farms. The outbreak began on day 50 after the sale, peaked between days 60 and 70, and ended on day 220. Twenty-one dead bison were confirmed to be MCF cases by clinical histories, pathology, and detection of ovine herpesvirus-2 DNA in their tissues with polymerase chain reaction assays. Twenty-four dead bison were classified as suspect MCF cases from clinical histories. No cases of MCF were observed among bison remaining on originating farms or resident bison mixed with sale bison on destination farms. There were no sheep reported within 3 km of originating or destination farms, limiting bison exposure to sheep to the auction facility, where sheep were present for less than 1 day. The outbreak provides an illustration of the temporal distribution of MCF mortality expected in bison and an estimate of the time from exposure until death from MCF after a single short exposure to sheep. The study provides evidence that bison with MCF do not transmit MCF to other bison.

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One 2-year-old and 4 adult (greater than 3 years old) wapiti were studied throughout 1 year. Serum testosterone concentrations, scrotal circumference and % normal spermatozoa in the ejaculate peaked around September. Testosterone levels fell sharply by November, but scrotal circumference declined less sharply and normal sperm production occurred until March. There were indications of a secondary peak in these values around February-March.

The Tsaatan (or Dhuka) peoples of northern-western Mongolia are one of the few remaining reindeer-herding cultural groups in the world. Recently a disease condition that involves sudden death of reindeer and cases involving fever, lethargy, and pale mucous membranes has been reported. Examination of blood smears collected in the 2005 field season resulted in the identification of intra-erythrocytic inclusions resembling Anaplasma spp. in smears from clinically sick animals. Using universal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for the amplification of the 60 kDa chaperonin gene (cpn60, also known as hsp60 or groEL), we detected sequences corresponding to Anaplasma ovis in reindeer blood samples. Species-specific PCR primers for A. ovis were designed and validated and used to screen blood samples from Mongolian reindeer. Screening of 66 blood samples collected in the 2006 field season resulted in the detection of A. ovis in 80% of the samples. Our results indicate a high prevalence of A. ovis in the Tsaatan reindeer herds and an association with clinical disease that is likely to be anaplasmosis. To our knowledge this is the first report of natural A. ovis infection in reindeer.