Bovine Ephemeral Fever (BEF) -Three Day Sickness

Bovine Ephemeral Fever (BEF) is a non-contagious, arthropod vector-borne viral disease commonly affecting the 8-16 month age cattle (Heifer) and sometimes older age cattle.

Aetiology:

• Bovine Ephemeral Fever Virus-Rhabdoviridae family is the causative agent for this disease.
• Arthropod viral transmission has occurred and it is not transmitted by direct contact between two animals and through fomites.

Clinical findings:

• High Temperature(40-41°C) lasting for 1-2days
• Lacrimal and Nasal discharge
• Loss of Appetite
• Peripheral Lymph node Enlargement
• Congested Mucous Membrane and Vulval Mucosa
• Drooling of saliva
• Muscle stiffness and Lameness(commonly hindlimbs)
• Ruminal stasis
• Advanced cases show sternal recumbency with hypocalcemia(milk fever posture)
• Tachycardia and dyspnea can be seen
• Sudden reduction in the milk yield
• Shivering

Lacrimation

Nasal Discharge

Congested Mucous Membrane

Lesions:

• Serofibrinous Polyarthritis, Cellulitis
• Pleuritis
• Pericarditis
• Focal Necrosis in Skeletal Muscle

Differential diagnosis:

• Based on the history BEF must differentiate from Milk Fever
• Acute Laminitis

Treatment:

Commonly recovered within 3days and recovered animal shows long-lasting immunity against BEF.

1. BEF is an inflammatory disease. Administration of NSAIDs is very effective:
Flunixin Meglumine: 1.1-2.2 mg/kg IM or slow IV 3-4 days OR
Meloxicam: 0.5 mg/kg IM 3-4 days

2. Antibiotic treatment to control secondary bacterial infection. Enrofloxacin: 5 mg/kg IM 3-4 days
or any other prescribed antibiotics.

3.Antihistamine:Chlorpheniramine Malete: 0.5 mg/kg IM.

4.Also administer Calcium Borogluconate only to the recumbent animal:1g/45kg IV.

5. If any dehydration, animals treated with isotonic fluids like NS, RL, DNS.

Note:

Administer any fluids via oral, must ensure the swallowing reflex is present or not. Commonly in BEF, swallowing reflex is decreased or absent.

Prevention

Control arthropod vectors in the herd