Ocular disease in red deer calves associated with a herpesvirus infection
Inglis, D.M.; Bowie, J.M.; Allan, M.J.; Nettleton, P.F.
Veterinary Record 113(8): 182-183
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 6194610 Document Number: 208019
Of 80 Cervus elaphus calves weaned and housed at five months, 50-60 developed swelling of the periorbital tissues and oedema of the upper eyelids and, in the severer cases, pyrexia, conjunctivitis, purulent ocular discharge, hypopyon, corneal opacity and mucopurulent nasal discharge. A cytopathic agent isolated from two pools of ocular/nasal swabs was identified as a herpesvirus by electron microscopy and was antigenically related to IBR IPV virus. Paired serum samples from six affected calves and an in-contact 17-month-old deer that remained healthy incriminated this virus. Antibody titres against this virus were consistently higher than against IBR IPV virus (Oxford strain). Clinical disease did not develop in the adult animals of the herd, nor in a group of 50 fattening stags, nor in 25 seven-month-old calves captured in the wild in January and housed immediately with the recovered calves.