Virus seeks its disease: a seroepizootiological study of the presence of bovine herpes mammillitis in Switzerland
Engels, M.; Metzler, A.; Wyler, R.
Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde 121(11): 565-576
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-7281 PMID: 232571 Document Number: 149962
In a study of 1821 serum samples from cattle in herds with cowpox and from slaughter cattle sampled at abattoirs, 6.4 and 7.7%, respectively, were positive for neutralizing antibodies against mammillitis herpesvirus (BHV-2). Geometric mean of titres in serum samples was 1:146. There was a wide variation in occurrence of the disease among regions: 19% in Tessin, 7% in East Switzerland and 1% in West Switzerland. The BHV-2 strains 69/1 LO and TVA were serologically similar; 59% of serum samples with antibodies against BHV-2 also contained antibodies against herpes simplex virus 1, but with lower titres. BHV-2 could not be identified directly. The typical disease picture of herpes mammillitis has not been observed in Switzerland.