Another case of sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever in Rio Grande do Sul: the curious epidemiological niche of ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 (OvGHV2) is the cause of sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever (SA-MCF). Although SA-MCF is endemic in most geographical regions of Brazil, outbreaks are more frequently reported in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS). This report describes the findings of an SA-MCF outbreak in cattle from RS and investigates the possible reasons for the elevated occurrence of outbreaks in cattle from this geographical region of Brazil.

Methodology: An outbreak of SA-MCF involving a 7-month-old dairy calf died acutely after presenting fever, profuse salivation, and respiratory difficulties. This calf was maintained on a farm that contained two asymptomatic sheep. A qPCR assay detected OvGHV2 DNA in multiple organs of the dead calf and blood from the two asymptomatic sheep.

Results: These findings confirmed OvGHV2-related infection in the calf and the participation of the two sheep as possible disseminators of this infection. A sheep:cattle ratio (SCR) that evaluated the chances of SA-MCF outbreaks to occur within the mesoregions of RS where cattle and sheep are reared simultaneously, demonstrated that geographical regions with an SCR > 0.15 have a significantly increased chance to develop outbreaks of SA-MCF in cattle relative to mesoregions with an SCR < 0.15 within RS.

Conclusions: The SCR may be used as a possible indicator for the occurrence of SA-MCF outbreaks in cattle within the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Additionally, the traditional sheep production system and rearing practiced within RS seem to favor the development of SA-MCF outbreaks in susceptible cattle populations.