Abstract
Bovine petechial fever, caused by Ehrlichia ondiri, occurs sporadically in highland areas of Kenya, particularly affecting exotic breeds of cattle. There is a marked spatial restriction on disease occurrence, often to areas as small as part of a paddock, and usually associated with forest edge or scrub. Ehrlichia ondiri can be harbored by bushbuck and possibly other wild ruminants, and may be transmitted by an arthropod vector.
The disease is clinically marked by fever and widespread petechiation of mucous membranes. At necropsy, edema and lymphoid hyperplasia are evident in addition to widespread hemorrhages. Diagnosis depends on demonstration of E. ondiri, either by examination of Giemsa-stained blood smears, or by inoculation of tissues to susceptible sheep.
It may be possible to protect valuable animals by artificial infection followed by treatment with a dithiosemicarbazone. Generally, control depends on keeping cattle away from known infected areas, and clearing undergrowth and scrub.
Synonyms
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Danskin D, Burdin ML: Bovine petechial fever. Vet Rec 75: 391–394, 1963.
Haig DA: Petechial fever, bovine. In: International Encyclopaedia of Veterinary Medicine, pp 2260-2264. Dalling T, ed. Edinburgh: Green W & Son, 1966.
Haig DA, Danskin D: The aetiology of bovine petechial fever (ondiri disease). Res Vet Sci 3: 129 - 138, 1962.
Kenya Veterinary Department Annual Report, 1937, pp 63-64.
Kenya Department of Veterinary Services Annual Report, 1957, pp 25-27.
Krauss H, Davies FG, Odegaard DA, Cooper JE: The morphology of the causal agent of bovine petechial fever. J Comp Pathol 82: 241 - 246, 1972.
Piercy SE: Bovine infectious petechial fever. E Afr Agric J 19:65-68, 1953. Plowright W: Some notes on bovine petechial fever (ondiri disease) at Muguga, Kenya. Bull Epiz Dis Afr 10: 499 - 505, 1962.
Snodgrass DR: Pathogenesis of bovine petechial fever. J Comp Pathol 85: 523 - 530, 1975.
Snodgrass DR: Chemotherapy of experimental bovine petechial fever. Res Vet Sci 20: 108 - 109, 1976.
Snodgrass DR, Karstad LH, Cooper JE: The role of wild ruminants in the epidemiology of bovine petechial fever. J Hyg Camb 74: 245 - 250, 1975.
Walker AR, Cooper JE, Snodgrass DR: Investigations into the epidemiology of bovine petechial fever in Kenya and the potential of trombiculid mites as vectors. Trop Anim Health Prod 6: 193 - 198, 1974.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1981 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Snodgrass, D.R. (1981). Bovine Petechial Fever. In: Ristic, M., McIntyre, I. (eds) Diseases of Cattle in the Tropics. Current Topics in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-6895-1_29
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-6895-1_29
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-247-2495-6
Online ISBN: 978-94-015-6895-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive