Alcelaphine gammaherpesvirus 1–induced malignant catarrhal fever in a Watusi (Bos taurus africanus) steer in a North American game park

Abstract

A 10-y-old Watusi ( Bos taurus africanus) steer housed at a drive-through game park in Winston, Oregon developed severe clinical illness including fever, marked nasal discharge, injected scleral and conjunctival membranes, plus oral hemorrhages and erosions. The animal responded poorly to supportive treatment and was euthanized. Additional gross findings at postmortem examination included papules and erosive lesions on the tongue, hemorrhagic large intestine, and multifocal cardiac hemorrhages. Histopathologic findings included multifocal lymphoplasmacytic vasculitis plus fibrin exudation in heart and tongue. Total DNA obtained from the splenic samples was positive for alcelaphine gammaherpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1) as tested by a multiplex PCR for malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) viruses. The AlHV-1 detection was further confirmed by amplification and sequencing of a viral DNA polymerase gene fragment, which was identical to AlHV-1 sequences in GenBank. This was the first diagnosis of clinical wildebeest-associated MCF on these premises, although wildebeest have been held at the park for over 25 y. This disease is sporadic in North America and should be considered as a differential diagnosis for febrile illness with ulcerative oral lesions in ruminants.

Malignant catarrhal fever in cattle in the Irkutsk Region

“…The clinical picture and pathological changes in the described cases were similar to MCF descriptions in veterinary literature (3,7,8,11,21,28,32). However, the duration of the disease in Kharchev was 5 ± 0.7 days, whereas it is usually 1-26 days (21).…”

“…Susceptible animals are cattle, deer, antelopes, giraffes, aurochs, bison, etc. (3,4,11,25,28), while the disease mostly affects cattle and bison. In recent years, MCF cases have nevertheless been reported in deer and elk, both in zoos and wildlife.…”

Metatranscriptomics Analysis Reveals Diverse Viral RNA in Cutaneous Papillomatous Lesions of Cattle

“…AIHV-1 induces malignant catarrhal fever in bovines with the growth of papules and erosive lesions in many different tissues, mostly in the digestive tract. 63 Lastly, KSHV is one of the human oncoviruses that mainly infect immunosuppressed patients, such as the ones with AIDS or lymphomas. 64 Its envelope glycoprotein, gp350/220, was predicted in other gammaherpesviruses, like BoHV-4 and AIHV-1, implying similarities in structure and function.…”

Successful assisted rearing and reintegration of a blue wildebeest calf into a managed herd prior to weaning

“…Wildebeests are also considered to be asymptomatic, persistently infected carriers of alcelaphine gammaherpesvirus 1 (AlHV‐1) due to infection in utero or soon after birth (Lankester et al, 2015; Pretorius et al, 2008). Transmission of the virus from wildebeests to susceptible bovid species has led to multiple reports of wildebeest‐associated malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in zoo‐based collections (Bildfell et al, 2017; Meteyer et al, 1989; Whitaker et al, 2007). This presents another challenge when staff bottle‐rearing a wildebeest calf may work with other bovids, especially since AlHV‐1 is typically excreted from calves under 3 months of age (Lankester et al, 2015; Mushi et al, 1981).…”