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Case Reports
. 2022 Aug 19;9(8):442.
doi: 10.3390/vetsci9080442.

Malignant Catarrhal Fever in Sardinia (Italy): A Case Report

Elisabetta Coradduzza  1 , Rosario Scivoli  1 , Davide Pintus  1 , Angela Maria Rocchigiani  1 , Maria Giovanna Cancedda  1 , Daria Sanna  2 , Simona Macciocu  1 , Fabio Scarpa  2 , Roberto Bechere  1 , Giantonella Puggioni  1 , Ciriaco Ligios  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Malignant Catarrhal Fever in Sardinia (Italy): A Case Report

Elisabetta Coradduzza et al. Vet Sci. .

Abstract

Using a multidisciplinary approach, this report describes a clinical case of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) occurring in a calf, which shared the pasture with sheep on a farm located in the island of Sardinia (Italy). We confirmed the conventional clinico-histopathological features of MCF, as well was the presence of Ovine herpesvirus type 2 (OvHV-2) DNA in several tissues, employing histological and virological investigations. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that this Sardinian OvHV-2 strain is genetically similar to all the other Italian strains. By Real Time PCR examinations of blood samples collected across Sardinia's sheep population, which is considered the most important reservoir species, we discovered an OvHV-2 prevalence ranging from 20 to 30 percent. Despite the high prevalence of OvHV-2 in the Sardinian sheep population, clinical disease in bovine remains sporadic; further investigations are needed to understand the risk factors that regulate this epidemiological aspect.

Keywords: calf; malignant catarrhal fever; ovine herpesvirus type 2 (OvHV-2).

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Calf affected by MCF showing keratoconjunctivitis with corneal edema (A). Microscopic aspects of intestine in a MCF affected calf. Representative microphotograph of the necrosis affecting a vessel, 20× objective (B).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Immunohistochemistry. Kidney (A–D). CD immune-phenotyping in non-suppurative interstitial nephritis, revealing intense CD3+ T positive (A) cells and CD163+ macrophages (B), few PAX 5+ B cells (C), and no CD68+ macrophages (D). 3-30-diaminobenzidine (DAB) chromogen was used to visualize immune reactions. Mayer’s hematoxylin counterstain, 20× objective.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Bayesian phylogenetic tree based on 131bp-long sequences of the ORF75 gene isolated for OvHV-2 in cases of malignant catarrhal fever worldwide. Values of node supports are expressed as Posterior Probabilities. The ORF75 gene sequence isolated in Sardinia is indicated in red font. The codes of sequences within the tree report the conventional code of the country where samples were collected (the first three letters) and the corresponding GenBank accession number.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Principal components analysis performed on the same dataset of OvHV2 ORF75 gene fragment (131 bp) used for the phylogenetic tree analysis. Bi-dimensional plots show the genetic differentiation among strains due to the base differences per site found in the dataset. The ORF75 gene sequence isolated in Sardinia is indicated in red font.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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