Effect of anti-prostaglandin therapy in experimental parainfluenza type 3 pneumonia in weaned, conventional calves
Selman, I.E.; Allan, E.M.; Gibbs, H.A.; Wiseman, A.; Young, W.B.
Veterinary Record 115(5): 101-105
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 6089403 Document Number: 231103
An acute pneumonia was induced experimentally in ten conventionally reared calves, 10-12 weeks old, by administration into the upper airways of a pathogenic strain of parainfluenza type 3 (PI3) virus. The calves were free from clinical evidence of respiratory and other diseases, free from current PI3 infection as judged by repeated nasopharyngeal swabbing, and free from earlier PI3 virus infection as judged by the lack of serum antibody to PI3 virus. Calves successfully infected showed seroconversion, clinical signs of febrile pneumonia soon after administration of virus, histological changes characteristic of PI3 pneumonia and PI3 virus antigen associated with those lesions. Treatment of five of the pneumonic calves was carried out on days 1, 2 and 3 of the trial using the anti-prostaglandin compound flunixin meglumine. The treatment appeared to be beneficial in that there was a prompt end of coughing with fewer fevers and lower respiratory rates as compared with untreated controls. The drug did not influence PI3 infection rates, but its administration was associated with reduced pulmonary consolidation, probably as the result of its known ability to limit the acute inflammatory response.