Pneumonia in calves produced with aerosols of bovine herpesvirus 1 and Pasteurella haemolytica

Abstract

In each of 11 experiments, four calves were exposed first to an aerosol of bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1, virus of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis) and second to an aerosol of Pasteurella haemolytica. The interval between aerosols was three to five days. In two other experiments, calves were exposed only to a bacterial aerosol. Climate was controlled for all experiments from the day of viral exposure and for eight of the experiments it was also controlled for four to six days before the first aerosol. The concentration of infectious doses of virus in the aerosols and the number of bacteria in the aerosols of each calf were determined. Macroscopically recognizable rhinitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, tracheitis and pneumonia of lobar distribution in 42 lobes from 11 calves were seen in five experiments in which bacterial aerosol followed the viral aerosol by at least four days. One calf died with marked respiratory disease in each of four experiments within four days of exposure to the bacterial aerosol. Production of pneumonia was dependent on an interval between aerosols of at least four days but not on the condition of controlled climate on the environmental chamber either before or after the viral aerosol nor on the period of habituation allowed calves of some experiments.