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Bovine herpes mammillitis
Synonym(s): bovine herpse virus 2, BHV-2, ulcerative dermatitis
Introduction
- Cause: bovine herpes virus 2 (BHV-2).
- Signs: ulceration of the mammary skin and associated areas.
- Diagnosis: clinical signs, virus isolation, serology.
- Treatment: symptomatic, possibly topical anti-viral agents.
- Prognosis: variable, very good to guarded depending on severity.
Geographic incidence
- BHV-2 is found worldwide.
- Bovine herpes mammillitis has been seen in Great Britain, Ireland, Bulgaria, Italy, France, Australia, the USA, Canada, Rwanda and Burundi, Zambia and Brazil.
- BHV-2 is also the causitive agent of Allerton disease or pseudo-lumpy skin disease - this is a generalized cutaneous form of the disease and is seen mostly in Africa.
Age predisposition
- Often affects primiparous heifers.
Breed/Species predisposition
- Cattle & buffalo are natural hosts of BHV-2.
Cost considerations
- Loss of milk when animal cannot be milked or secondary mastitis occurs.
- Increased labor involved with isolating and treating affected animals.
- Potential loss of quarter or animal.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- Herpes mammillitis is caused by Bovine Herpes Virus 2 Bovine Herpes Virus 2.
Predisposing factors
General
- Bovine herpes mammillitis tends to occur in autumn and early winter.
Specific
- A possible association with periparturient edema Edema has been reported.
- Some outbreaks have been associated with the recent purchase of a cow.
Pathophysiology
- BHV-2 primary infection is introduced through a skin lesion or via biting flies. Flies
- A short viremia may occur.
- A latent infection subsequently develops in skin & neurones.
- The virus is thermosensitive and replicates at a temperature below body temperature - possibly why most cases are seen during cooler weather.
Timecourse
- Incubation period is 4 - 10 days.
- Ulcers usually resolve within 4 weeks.
Epidemiology
- It has been hypothesised that infection may occur due to transmission by biting flies during the summer months, with recrudescence occurring at calving.
- Latent infection is thought to occur. However the epidemiology of the infection is still uncertain.
- Disease is usually sporadic although large outbreaks affecting several farms have occurred.
Diagnosis
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Treatment
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Prevention
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed Papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Martin W B, Hay D, Crawford L V, Le Bouvier G L & Crawford E M (1966) Characteristics of bovine mammillitis virus. Microbiology 45, 325-332 PubMed.
- Martin W B & Scott F M M (1979) Latent infection of cattle with bovid herpesvirus 2. Archives of Virology 60, 51- 58 PubMed.
- Kemp R, Holliman A & Nettleton P F (2008) Atypical bovine herpes mammillitis affecting cows and calves. Vet Rec 163, 119-121 PubMed.
Other sources of information
- Martin W B (1990) Bovine mammillitis virus. In Virus Infections of Ruminants. Eds: Dinter Z & Morein B. Elsevier. pp 109- 116.
- Gibbs E P J (2004) Bovine herpesvirus 2 infections. In: Infectious Diseases of Livestock. Eds: Coetzer J A W & Tustin R C. Oxford University Press, UK. pp 887- 894.
- CABI (2018) Bovine herpesvirus 2 infection. [online] Last accessed 11th January 2018. Available at: www.cabi.org.