Sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever: First report in a calf in Northeastern Turkey

In this report, systemic vasculitis was described in a Brown Swiss calf with sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever. The calf was referred to the university clinic due to respiratory and nervous symptoms. Nasal discharge, dyspnea, cough, conjunctival hyperemia, bilateral corneal opacity and ulceration, superficial lymph node enlargement, incoordination and muscle tremors were detected on clinical examination. The hematologic profile revealed lymphocytosis and neutrophilia. Grossly, hyperemia of viscera, lymphoid tissue enlargements and swelling in the brain were observed. Fibrinoid necrotic vasculitis and lymphoid cell infiltrations were main histopathologic changes in the brain, liver, spinal cord, heart, lymphoid tissues and upper respiratory tract. Characteristic histopathologic findings were confirmed by PCR, which demonstrated the presence of ovine herpesvirus-2 (OvHV-2) in the lymph nodes and liver samples of the calf.