A suspected virus infection of the oral mucosa in Swedish reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L)

C Rehbinder,J W Moreno,M Nordkvist,Islam-Ud-Din Siddiqui

doi:10.7557/2.6.2.683

Abstract

In 1980 a rather high frequency of reindeer, supplementarily fed in pens, were taken ill and deaths occurred as well. In five out of eight carcasses necrophsied oral lesions were observed. Histologically the mucosa, surrounding these lesions, was charasterized by the presence of intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies, inter- and intracellular oedema and vesicle formation. Fusobacterium necrophorum, Coll, betahaemolizing streptococci, and Cory neb acterium pyogenes found in the lesions were all considered secondary invaders. Serological samples from disease stricken herds were tested for antibodies against BVD-, P13-, and IBR-virus as well as Chlamydia. Low positive titres were observed but for BVDV. The result indicates that a thus far unidentified virus might be the primary cause of this enzootically occurring disease.

Highlights

During the winter 1980 the Tornedalen area along the Swedish/Finnish border was hit by grazing difficulties for the reindeer herds
Supplementary feeding was organized at several places from December through April
A Fusobactenum necrophorum infection was sion bodies were seen in the tissue surrounding histologically and/or bacteriologically establisoral ulcers in four animals

Summary

Introduction

During the winter 1980 the Tornedalen area along the Swedish/Finnish border was hit by grazing difficulties for the reindeer herds. Supplementary feeding was organized at several places from December through April. This turned out well but at some places animals were taken i l l , mostly showing loss of appetite and signs of fever. This paper deals with the pathological lesions found in animals sent in for necropsy at the National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden. For serological investigation, were obtained from flocks or reindeer on feeding sites where animals had succumbed (Rehbinder et al 1985)

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