FMD: causative agent and symptoms in cows, treatment methods and possible danger

FMD is very dangerous for cattle. After all, young animals die from this viral disease, and adult animals have a hard time with the disease and even after recovery can infect he althy cows and bulls. The disease affects the productivity of cattle. Milk yields are reduced, animals are slowly gaining weight, and the quality of meat is deteriorating. FMD-sick cows and bulls are often sent for slaughter to prevent infection of the entire herd.

What is this disease

FMD is the most dangerous viral disease that affects domestic animals, most often young calves, cows and bulls.It is characterized by a severe course and dangerous consequences leading to the death of cattle. The source of infection are sick animals from unfavorable areas (Asian countries). Vaccination of cattle against a specific type of foot-and-mouth disease (7 types are known) helps to prevent the disease.

In sick cattle, the temperature rises, saliva constantly flows, and bubble and ulcerative rashes are visible on the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose, the skin of the udder and in the interhoof gap. Patients with foot and mouth disease cannot swallow, refuse to feed, quickly lose weight. The animal's digestive organs are affected. Because of the sores on the udder, cows cannot be milked, they develop mastitis. The virus infects the soft tissues of the hooves, they begin to fester. The disease can lead to scar necrosis, bronchopneumonia and gangrene of the lungs, disorders of the heart and myocardium.

The disease lasts 1-2 weeks, the incubation period is 2-6, maximum 20 days. In case of complications, the cow dies on 2-6 days. In sick, but surviving animals, productivity indicators (milk yield, weight gain) decrease.Foot and mouth disease usually leads to the death of young animals (mortality - 80-100%) and adult cattle (mortality - 40-90%). As a result, the number of herds is decreasing, including due to the forced slaughter of livestock.

Animals who have been ill with one type of foot-and-mouth disease can subsequently get sick with another type of this viral disease. The disease is prevented by vaccination.

Pathogen, source and pathways

The causative agent of such a disease as foot-and-mouth disease is considered to be an RNA-containing virus from the family of the smallest picornaviruses. The rhinovirus itself consists of 32 capsomeres that form a rhombic tricontahedron. It was possible to establish 7 different types of foot and mouth disease virus. The causative agent of the disease is resistant to various weather conditions, but dies when heated to more than 60 degrees Celsius, as well as under the influence of ultraviolet radiation and disinfectants.

The virus can live for more than one month not only in the body of sick cattle, but also in water, soil, sewage, meat and dairy products. In 65 cases out of a hundred, a person becomes infected by drinking raw milk from sick cows.

The source of the disease - sick with foot-and-mouth disease, in the incubation period and recovered from this viral disease animals. From the body of sick individuals, the virus is excreted with saliva, blood, urine, and also with feces. The causative agent persists for a long time in animal hair, soil (in the fallen off crusts of ulcers), as well as in milk and meat. The virus is transmitted through contaminated feed, bedding, manure, inventory, insect bites.

You can become infected with foot-and-mouth disease by direct contact (through lesions on the skin and through the mouth, nose, eyes) with a sick animal and by inhalation of air containing viral particles.When the virus enters the blood, intoxication of the whole organism occurs. From person to person, as a rule, foot and mouth disease is not transmitted. People involved in cattle breeding become infected with the virus through contact with sick animals.

Signs and symptoms of disease

At the very beginning, cows and bulls who have caught the virus have a burning sensation in the mouth, swelling, and redness. Because of this, profuse salivation and conjunctivitis begin. After a few days, rashes appear on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, tongue, gums, and also on the nose - blisters filled at first with a clear, and then with a cloudy liquid. Aphthae can occur on the udder of the female and on the skin of the interhoof gap.

After a few days, the bubbles merge, then burst, in their place red sores form.

The virus, having penetrated into the lymph and blood, spreads to all organs and tissues. In animals, the digestive system suffers, it is difficult for them to swallow, they refuse feed and quickly lose weight.Develops gastroenteritis, purulent abscesses. The body temperature rises. Ulcers on the udder cause pain to the cows, making them reluctant to milk, the disease leads to mastitis.

If the limbs are affected, hoof erosion and lameness are possible. In severe cases, foot and mouth disease leads to scar necrosis, bronchopneumonia, and pulmonary gangrene. Animals with good immunity recover after 7 days, sometimes the disease lasts 3-4 weeks and also leads to the recovery of cattle. In severe cases (with complications), cows die on the 2nd-6th day. After recovery, the animals lag behind in growth, give birth to dead calves, often pregnancy ends in spontaneous abortion.

Diagnosis of pathology

Such a dangerous disease as foot and mouth disease is diagnosed on the basis of examination, clinical picture and laboratory tests. The virus is isolated from blood, saliva, aft and feces. When conducting laboratory tests, it is imperative to determine the type of viral foot and mouth disease.This helps to choose the right vaccine for vaccinating he althy cattle. Virus identification takes about one week.

When making a diagnosis, it is important to exclude the presence of other diseases with similar symptoms (viral stomatitis, plague, smallpox).

How to treat foot and mouth disease in cattle

There are no drugs for foot and mouth disease. Veterinarians usually prescribe medications to manage the symptoms of this viral disease. Sick animals are isolated from the main herd. For 2 months they are kept in quarantine and treated with antiviral drugs, convalescent serum. If necessary (purulent infection), antibiotics are prescribed ("Bicillin").

The oral cavity, affected areas of the skin are treated with disinfectants and wound healing agents (a weak solution of potassium permanganate, "Chlorhexidine", oxolinic, interferon ointment).Animals are given light food, plenty of fluids, if necessary fed through a tube. Assign vitamin and mineral complexes. The healing of ulcers is accelerated by ultraviolet irradiation, the preparations Panthenol, Levovinizol, Vinizol.

Possible danger

FMD is dangerous for its consequences. Even apparently he althy animals that have had a mild form of this viral disease can infect cattle with weaker immunity. Young animals die in 8-9 cases out of 10, mortality in adult cows is two times lower. Females who have had foot and mouth disease often give birth to dead calves, and their pregnancy ends in spontaneous abortion. Recovered bulls do not gain weight well, their meat is unfit for food.

For this reason, all animals with FMD are sent to slaughter. He althy cows and bulls are vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease. Vaccination has no effect on carriers of the virus (sick and recovered cows and bulls).

Vaccinations against disease

To prevent and prevent FMD infection, he althy animals are vaccinated against this dangerous viral disease. There are a number of mono and associated (against several types) vaccines for immunization of cattle. You can buy medication at any veterinary pharmacy. Animals are vaccinated against exactly the type of foot-and-mouth disease found in a particular area.

Vaccinate adult cows and bulls, as well as calves aged 6 weeks to 6 months. In unfavorable regions, vaccination is carried out annually. Do not vaccinate pregnant and lactating cows. Vaccination, as a rule, is carried out before mating animals or in the spring, before cattle are pastured to pasture.

The vaccine is not a cure, it does not cure foot-and-mouth disease, but allows cows and bulls to recover from the virus in a mild form and acquire resistance to this viral disease.The vaccine is given intramuscularly or subcutaneously. The dosage of the drug is prescribed depending on the age and weight of the cattle.

The vaccine is completely harmless to cows and bulls, but the main thing is that only absolutely he althy and not weakened animals are allowed to be vaccinated. Contact your local veterinarian for the vaccination schedule and type of vaccine needed.

Other prevention measures

FMD is one of the dangerous diseases. Usually this viral disease is brought from unfavorable regions to favorable ones. To prevent infection of local animals in each locality, a number of preventive measures are taken. Sanitary and veterinary services inspect the condition of cattle, as well as monitor the movement, purchase of breeding bulls and cows from other countries, especially Asian ones.

The risk of infection arises in the case of illegal importation of animals. All livestock of cattle is recommended to be registered.Owners of cows and bulls can protect themselves from the virus by vaccinating their animals on time. Vaccinations are carried out by local veterinarians. It is advisable to graze cattle on pastures where wild animals do not run, as well as buy feed in regions favorable for foot and mouth disease.

The dairy and meat products sold in the markets are also subject to control. At home, you can protect yourself from infection with foot and mouth disease from animals in a simple way. The main thing is to boil the milk bought at the market, and heat the meat. If there are known cases of foot and mouth disease outbreak in a particular area, it is not recommended to buy cream and sour cream in the bazaar. If redness, swelling, rashes appear in the mouth, you should immediately consult an infectious disease specialist.

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