Abstract
The bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex is a multietiological and multifactorial disease associated with a wide range of viral and bacterial pathogens. This study evaluated the contribution of specific infectious disease agents in the development of BRD in cattle from Brazil and determined if a virus within the malignant catarrhal fever virus (MCFV) group and Mycoplasma bovis, acting individually or in conjunction, can be associated with the development of BRD. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded pulmonary sections were used in immunohistochemical assays to determine the intralesional presence of six antigens associated with BRD: bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV-3), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), MCFV, and M. bovis. Pneumonia was diagnosed in 82.7% (120/145) of all cattle evaluated. Interstitial pneumonia (60%, 72/120) and suppurative bronchopneumonia (25.8%, 31/120) were the most frequent patterns of pneumonia identified. Intralesional antigens of MCFV (53.3%, 64/120) were the most frequently associated with BRD, followed by M. bovis (47.5%, 57/120), BVDV (42.5%, 51/120), BoHV-1 (28.3%, 34/120), BRSV (24.2%, 29/120), and BPIV-3 (8.3%, 10/120). Additionally, antigens of BVDV, MCFV, and M. bovis were the most frequently identified agents associated with singular and concomitant infections. The MCFV identified during this study is more likely to be ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2), since OvHV-2 is the only MCFV identified within the geographical region of this study. Interstitial pneumonia with proliferative vascular lesions may be a useful histologic feature to differentiate MCFV-induced pneumonia from other viral pneumonias of cattle. These results demonstrate that MCFV and M. bovis, in single or mixed infections, can produce pneumonia in cattle and should therefore be considered as primary agents in the development of BRD.
Highlights
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a complex multifactorial and multietiological disease entity that is associated with viral and bacterial pathogens coupled with unfavorable management practices and environmental conditions
This study evaluated the contribution of specific infectious disease agents in the development of BRD in cattle from Brazil and determined if a virus within the malignant catarrhal fever virus (MCFV) group and Mycoplasma bovis, acting individually or in conjunction, can be associated with the development of BRD
The principal viral disease pathogens associated with the development of BRD are bovine coronavirus (BCoV), bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV-3), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) [1,2,3,4]
Summary
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a complex multifactorial and multietiological disease entity that is associated with viral and bacterial pathogens coupled with unfavorable management practices and environmental conditions. The major bacterial pathogens of BRD include Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni [5,6,7,8], and Mycoplasma bovis. All of these pathogens have been associated with outbreaks of BRD in beef and dairy cattle herds from Brazil [9]. Ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2), a virus within the malignant catarrhal fever virus (MCFV) complex, was suggested as a possible infectious disease pathogen associated with the development of BRD [10]. Spontaneous cases of interstitial pneumonia associated with the amplification of OvHV-2 DNA were previously described in bison [13, 14] and buffaloes [15], the possible participation of an MCFV in the development of BRD is a novel finding
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
