Important information! A case of major rabies cattle

In the Krasnoufimsky district, a case of cow rabies was registered.

Symptoms, course of the disease

From the moment of infection, the characteristic signs of rabies in animals may appear after 3-6 days to 5-8 weeks, depending on the general physiological state, the amount of virus in the body of infected individuals, the virulence of the pathogen, the condition immune system. In some cases, with animal rabies, the first manifestations may occur a year after infection. At the same time, infected infected individuals are latent virus carriers, representing a real danger to healthy individuals.

Rabies in domestic animals can occur in violent, quiet, paralytic, abortive, atypical forms, each of which has its own characteristic symptoms.

There are three main stages in the pathogenesis of a viral disease:

• I - extraneural, without visible reproduction of the virus at the site of inoculation (lasts up to two weeks);
• II - intraneural, in which centripetal spread of infection is noted.
• III - dissemination of the virus throughout the body of infected animals. It is accompanied by the appearance of clinical symptoms of the disease and, as a rule, ends with their death.

As a rule, on initial stage development of infection in sick animals slightly increases the overall body temperature. The state of apathy, oppressed. Some minor manifestations of damage to the central nervous system (muscle tremors, convulsions, spasms) are possible. As the infection progresses, the symptoms become more pronounced.

Violent form of rabies

The violent form of rabies is characterized by three stages of development:

• prodromal;
• arousal;
• paralysis.

The duration of the prodromal period ranges from 12 - 15 hours to three 3 days. In animals, minor changes in behavior are noted. Infected pets become lethargic, lethargic, depressed, try to hide in a dark secluded place. Attacks of apathy can alternate with periods of excitement. In some cases, dogs become very affectionate, try to lick their hands, the face of the owner, require increased attention. As the disease progresses, anxiety and excitability gradually increase. Animals often lie down, jump up. There is an increased reflex excitability to any external stimuli ( loud sounds, light, noise). Shortness of breath appears. The pupils are dilated, inadequately react to light.

Paralytic (silent) form of rabies

With this form of viral disease, excitation is weakly expressed or may be completely absent. Animals do not show aggression, look oppressed, apathetic. characteristic feature quiet form of rabies - profuse salivation, dilated pupils, sagging mandible, paralysis of the pharynx, tongue. Swallowing is difficult.

Animals refuse food, water, quickly lose weight, look very emaciated, try to hide in a dark secluded place. Mucous membranes are pale. There comes paralysis of the muscles of the limbs, jaw, torso. The duration of the disease is 2 - 4 days.

Atypical form of rabies

With this form of infection, the stage of excitation is completely absent. At the beginning of the disease, a slight increase in temperature is possible. Appetite is reduced. Animals refuse food, water, which leads to rapid weight loss.

Detect abnormalities in the functioning of the organs digestive system. There are symptoms of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. feces liquid consistency, contain a large number of mucus, foam, bloody threads, clots.

In rare cases, agricultural animals are diagnosed with an abortive course of the disease. Some animals manage to recover. At the same time, this form often recurs, and after improvement, the condition of infected animals worsens again.

Rabies in farm animals

Rabies in cows occurs in a quiet and violent form. The duration of the incubation period can be from two 2 months to one 1 year.

With rabies in cows, if the disease proceeds in a violent form, increased excitability is noted. The animal shows aggression towards people, dogs, cats, other pets. The cow rushes to the walls, strikes with its horns, nervously beats with its tail.

The temperature has risen. Note salivation, sweating. Appetite is reduced. The lower jaw is pendulous. The pupils are dilated and do not react to light. The limbs are tense, stretched out.

With a silent form of infection, cattle have no chewing gum, no appetite. Animals are oppressed, lethargic, quickly lose weight, moo hoarsely. The cow stops secreting milk. There are signs of paralysis of the larynx, tongue, pharynx, front, hind limbs. The lower jaw is pendulous. Note abundant salivation, spontaneous defecation.

Death occurs 3-5 days after the onset of clinical symptoms.

goat rabies

In goats, sheep, the same symptoms are noted with a violent, quiet form of rabies, as in cattle, namely: aggression towards people, animals, especially cats, dogs, severe exhaustion, sexual excitability, paresis, paralysis. Goats, sheep trample in one place, butt heads, refuse water, feed. The disease develops rapidly. On the third or fifth day after the appearance of the first characteristic symptoms animals die.

Rabies in horses

Rabies in horses manifests itself hyperexcitability, inadequate reactions to external stimuli. Animals can also show aggression towards people, their relatives. During periods of excitement, horses rush to the walls, gnaw on feeders, and begin to eat inedible objects. Excitation turns into complete apathy.
Muscle spasms, spasms of the cheeks, lips, and sternum are noted. The limbs are tense, stretched out. The coordination of movements is disturbed, paralysis of the pharynx, tongue, and lower jaw develops. The whinny becomes hoarse. Abundant salivation is noticeable. Animals look very emaciated, die on the 3rd - 6th day. In some cases, death is possible on the first day of the development of the disease.

swine rabies

In pigs, rabies occurs in acute and violent forms. The pigs are very excited, eat inedible objects, are afraid of water, refuse to feed, behave aggressively, inappropriately. Sows can eat their piglets, a feeling of fear, strong anxiety, panic appears.

For 2-3 days, paresis, paralysis of the limbs, lower jaw, and larynx develop. Animals become lethargic, apathetic, do not respond to external stimuli, constantly lie in one place. The duration of the viral disease is 6-7 days, after which sick animals die.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is made after a comprehensive examination, taking into account general symptoms, the epizootological situation of rabies in the region, the results of post-mortem autopsies. If necessary, differential diagnosis is carried out.

Treatment for rabies today does not exist, so the disease in 100% of cases ends in death.

When rabies occurs, quarantine is introduced. Animals, dogs, cats that have bitten people (except those obviously ill with rabies) are isolated for 10-12 days, placed in special boxes for veterinary observation. Animals with rabies are killed. The bodies are burned. The rest of the individuals are subjected to forced immunization. Suspicious wild animals are subject to destruction.

Rabies Prevention

The most efficient in an efficient way to prevent infection of domestic, farm animals can be called timely preventive immunization. In veterinary medicine, mono- and polyvalent anti-rabies tissue, cultural, live vaccines of domestic and foreign production are used for these purposes.

Only timely vaccination will help prevent rabies infection.

An animal vaccine against rabies can be:

• Brain - made from the brain tissue of animals infected with rabies;
• Embryonic. Contains poultry embryos.
• Cultural. It is made from the rabies virus reproduced in primary trypsinized or transplanted BNK-21/13 cells.
  Against rabies in cats and dogs, the monovalent dry inactivated anti-rabies vaccine "Rabikan" is very often used. For preventive and therapeutic immunization of CRRS, horses, pigs, a liquid cultural anti-rabies vaccine "Rabikov" is used. For agricultural animals, universal polyvaccines (complex) veterinary preparations for preventive immunizations have also been developed.

In veterinary practice against rabies, they also use: Rabigen Mono, Nobivak Rabies, Defensor-3, Rabizin, Multikan-8. During revaccination, if not side symptoms, hypersensitivity to the components, the same vaccine is used.

Only clinically healthy animals are subject to vaccination. Pregnant, lactating females, malnourished, sick viral infections, strongly weakened individuals are not vaccinated.

Instructions are attached to veterinary preparations for immunization, so if you plan to vaccinate yourself pet, carefully read the annotation to the medication. The first 2-3 days after vaccination, carefully monitor the behavior and health of animals.
Apart from preventive vaccination, farmers should monitor the cleanliness and hygiene in the premises in which animals are kept. Disinfection and deratization should be carried out regularly. Do not allow contact with wild, stray animals.

If a pet is suspected of having rabies, as well as if it has been bitten by stray, wild animals, it is necessary to immediately deliver the cat or dog to the veterinary clinic for examination and diagnostic tests.

It is also worth noting that animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies are not allowed to participate in exhibitions, competitions, or hunting. Travel abroad, to other regions is also prohibited without the presence in the veterinary passport, certificate of the necessary stamps, marks on the immunization carried out.

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Rabies - incurable disease with a fatal outcome. To avoid the loss of pets, it is necessary to be able to recognize this disease and know the principles of prevention. Let's consider them in more detail.

What is this disease

Rabies or rabies is deadly viral disease warm-blooded animals. The disease affects the central nervous system.

Did you know? An epidemic of rabies periodically awakens on all continents except Antarctica.

This disease is subject to:

• wild animals (jackals, foxes, raccoons, bats);
• domestic animals (cats, dogs);
• livestock (sheep, cows, horses);
• people.

How infection occurs

The causative agent of rabies is the Neuroryctes rabid virus. It is transmitted from a diseased object through saliva, primarily during a bite. It can also be transmitted through feed fed to an infected cow. First, the virus enters the spleen, after which it enters the nerve endings and diverges along them, affecting the nervous system.

In cattle incubation period disease lasts from two months to one year. Illness can for a long time do not appear - but, having manifested itself, progresses within 5-6 days.

Forms and symptoms

If you suspect nervous system damage in cattle, pay attention to their behavior.

When infected with rabies, the following symptoms may appear:

1. Increase in body temperature.
2. Oppressed behavior.
3. The cow refuses to feed.
4. Sudden weight loss.
5. Periodic convulsions, staggering and muscle spasms.

Did you know? Rabies most often occurs in the winter or spring seasons.

The further manifestation of rabies develops in two directions: there are violent and calm varieties.

violent

During a violent form in a diseased animal, the following is observed:

• sudden movements, attempts to break free, beat against the wall;
• aggressive behavior, increased irritability towards other cows and dogs;
• the cow makes a hoarse roar;
• characteristic shortness of breath and inadequate reaction to light;
• the cow combs the bite site to wounds, eats inedible (stones, wood).

With paralysis, which is the last stage of the disease, the lower jaw sags in a sick animal, the muscles of the pharynx and tongue atrophy. Further, the hind limbs cease to function, as a result of which movement practically stops.

Calm

The calm or paralytic form is most commonly seen in cattle. In a calm stage, cows do not show aggression, they are apathetic, lose weight sharply, and hide in a dark place.

The stage of paralysis quickly sets in and the cow fails in the jaw, throat and lower part of the croup. It becomes difficult to swallow, so the cow refuses to eat.

Important! Pay attention to the pupils: in a sick animal they are dilated.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis can be made by a veterinarian by ascertaining the characteristic painful signs of behavior and making a laboratory examination. All animals that are suspected of being infected, as well as those that have been in contact with sick people, should be isolated and subsequently transferred to a doctor for examination.
During diagnosis high content virus is found in the cerebral cortex of agricultural cattle.

Is it possible to cure and what to do with corpses

Unfortunately, the probability of death for a person infected with rabies is one hundred percent. This disease is not treatable, so an isolated animal or the entire herd (if infection is suspected in the rest of the herd) is slaughtered. After slaughter, the corpses are burned, or taken to the laboratory for disposal.
The place where sick livestock is kept is disinfected with a solution of caustic soda and formaldehyde. After rabies is detected, quarantine is introduced.

They also check other cattle that were next to the infected: they are isolated for ten days and look at the symptoms of behavior. If there is no reason to worry about the health of the livestock, it is returned to the place of detention again.

Important! Quarantine in the region of infection due to rabies lasts at least two months.

Is it possible to eat meat and drink the milk of a sick animal

It is strictly forbidden to eat milk and meat from an infected animal, since this is how the disease can be transmitted to humans.

However, it is worth making a reservation: you can eat the meat of a cow suspected of having rabies and vaccinated against rabies. This can only be determined by a veterinarian. The same applies to milk - only if the fact of infection is not established, and the cow has received a vaccine, you can drink her milk.

Human infection from livestock can occur when eating the meat of a sick cow that has not undergone the necessary thermal treatment.

Vaccination scheme

Cattle are vaccinated against rabies to prevent and protect livestock from the virus.

1. The first vaccine is given to a calf at 6 months of age.
2. The next vaccination is carried out every 2 years. If a rabies quarantine is declared in the region, livestock can be vaccinated earlier.
3. The medicine is administered intramuscularly.
4. The amount of vaccine in one injection is 1 ml.
5. The vaccine should be stored in a dry, warm place. It cannot be frozen. In case of leakage, the bottle should be poured over with boiling water and left in boiling water for 5-10 minutes for disinfection.

Important! Only healthy livestock can be vaccinated.

Other preventive measures

In addition to vaccination, there are additional ways to control the development of rabies:

• creation of safe conditions from the attack of wild animals;
• destruction of wild animals;
• vaccination of dogs used for livestock protection;
• systematic inoculation of healthy livestock;
• surveillance of a herd suspected of being infected to detect the virus as soon as possible.

Acute viral disease animals and humans, characterized by transmission of the virus by bite with saliva and signs of severe CNS damage. (L. Pasteur, 1881-1889; W. Babes, 1887; A. Negri, 1903)

Pathogen: RNA-containing virus of the family. Rhabdoviridae genus Lyssavirus. The virus is resistant to low temperatures. It remains in saliva up to 24 hours, in a rotting corpse - 2-3 weeks. Instantly destroyed by boiling and 70°C. Under the influence sun rays inactivated after 5-7 days. When dried, it dies in 10-14 days. The virus is unstable to the action of disinfectants: 1-5% formalin solutions kill it in 5 minutes, 5% phenol solution - in 5-10 minutes, 10% iodine solution - in 5 minutes. It is rapidly inactivated at pH less than 3 and more than 11.
Epizootology. Course and symptoms. Susceptible: all types of agricultural, game animals, carnivores, including wild predators.

Incubation period: from several days to 12 months.
Carriage of the pathogen in wild carnivores.

Symptoms: in dogs - unbalanced behavior, violation of the act of swallowing, salivation, aggressiveness. In cattle - more often paralysis, less aggressiveness, salivation, violation of the act of swallowing. A close picture in sheep and camels. In horses and pigs - more often violent form.
The person inc. n. from 10 days to 1 year. The disease begins with precursors: swelling of the skin occurs, body temperature rises to 38 ° C, fear, anxiety appear, headache. This period lasts 1-3 days.
Period of marked excitement: salivation, hallucinations, delirium, incoherent speech, anxiety.

Treatment: not performed.
Outcome: lethal.

Pathological and anatomical changes. In cattle, overflowing of the proventriculus with feed masses due to their atony, dehydration of the body, exhaustion, small hemorrhages in the abomasum mucosa and under the peritoneum are noted. The liver and kidneys are filled with blood. The mesenteric lymph nodes are swollen. In the brain hyperemia, edema of the medulla and pia mater.

Diagnostics

The laboratory conducts microscopy of brain tissue in order to detect Babes-Negri bodies, immunoluminescent microscopy, RP. in agar gel, virus identification by neutralization reaction; conduct a bioassay. A fresh corpse (small animal) or head, brain is sent to the laboratory.
Differential Diagnosis. It is necessary to differentiate from Aujeszky's disease, listeriosis, malignant catarrhal fever, infectious encephalitis.
For Aujeszky's disease: severe itching, especially in the head area and more acute course, however, there are no paralysis, aggressiveness is not manifested.
With the nervous form of listeriosis, there is no aggressiveness and paralysis of the lower jaw.
In the case of malignant catarrhal fever, signs of excitation are expressed quite rarely.
With infectious encephalitis, a strong yellowness of the mucous membranes is noted, the absence of aggressiveness.

Prevention and treatment. The treatment is not effective. For prevention use:

1) liquid anti-rabies vaccine of Alma-Ata ZVI;

2) dry anti-rabies vaccine of Alma-Ata ZVI with a diluent;

3) dry inactivated ethanol vaccine VGNKI against rabies;

4) inactivated dry cultural rabies vaccine from the Schelkovo 51 strain.

Veterinary and sanitary examination. When rabies is established in animals, slaughter for meat is prohibited. If rabies is established during slaughter and cutting of carcasses, then all products of slaughter are subject to destruction by burning.

Slaughter animals bitten by rabid animals, but not having clinical signs diseases, it is allowed to kill directly on the farm. The bite sites are cleaned and destroyed, and the VSE of the slaughter products is carried out on a common basis.

Animals vaccinated against rabies with the rabies vaccine are allowed to be slaughtered for meat 3 months after vaccination. Disinfection of the premises where sick animals were located, as well as equipment, is carried out with a hot 10% sodium hydroxide solution or 4% formaldehyde solution. Wooden items of care and leftover food are burned. The soil contaminated with secretions of sick animals is dug up to a depth of 30 cm with dry lime and poured disinfectant solution. Laboratory workers, when conducting research, must observe the established precautions.

In New Guinea, as part of the funeral ritual, people ate the brains of the dead. This led to a disease called kuru, a disorder of the central nervous system that caused mad cow disease in cows.

Known medically as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, mad cow syndrome affects the central nervous system of livestock. This disease belongs to the group of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) - neurodegenerative diseases that affect animals and humans.

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In animals, other related diseases include scrapie (in sheep) and feline spongiform encephalopathy (in cats). A person develops diseases such as Gerstmann-Streusler-Scheinker syndrome and sporadic fatal insomnia. Mad cow syndrome is believed to be the result of the presence and exposure to prions, which are infectious agents that contain an abnormal form of a protein.

Transmission of these infectious agents occurs by misfolding of proteins. They are mainly present in the brain, spinal cord, small intestine and the blood of cattle. They can also be found in lymph nodes, spleen and bone marrow of the affected organism. In addition, some scientists are of the opinion that the proteins present in the body are converted into prions due to the presence of a certain kind of virus. However, this theory has not yet been confirmed by research. Prions damage the CNS by forming spongy holes. It leads to degeneration nerve cells which ultimately leads to the death of the organism.

Research and laboratory data suggest a strong relationship between mad cow syndrome and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. It is a human neurodegenerative disease that usually results in lethal outcome. It is associated with the consumption of contaminated meat or meat products.

• Most early symptoms include depression, insomnia and anxiety.
• The person may appear withdrawn and be in a state of confusion.
• Significant changes in the personality and behavior of a person are observed.
• Also, a person may experience muscle spasms, i.e. involuntary muscle contractions that cause severe pain.
• As the condition worsens, the person loses muscle control and coordination, and may experience problems with vision (blurred vision) and memory.
• Temporary memory loss is another symptom that makes it difficult for the patient to recognize people. Also, this symptom makes it difficult to perform daily tasks.
• The patient may experience a tingling sensation in the feet, hands, face and legs.
• He may develop dementia, which makes him mentally and physically weak.
• In the last stage of the disease, the patient may fall into a coma, which eventually leads to death. The onset of the last stage occurs within a period of 6 months to one year after the onset of symptoms.

Mad cow syndrome invariably develops in cattle.

• Decreased ability to stand and walk.
• Problems with muscle coordination.
• Slight change in behavior.
• Sudden weight loss.
• Significant reduction in milk production.

How is mad cow disease spread?

As already mentioned, the causative agent of this disease are prions. They cannot be transmitted from one organism to another through physical contact, but they can enter the body of humans and animals in the following ways:

• In slaughterhouses, animal remains are disposed of without any tests. Waste/by-products are fed to livestock as a cheap source of protein. If animal remains contaminated (with prions) are ingested, the prions are transmitted to livestock.
• When a person begins to consume meat contaminated with the causative agent of mad cow syndrome, this also exposes him to the risk of infection.
• There are cases where variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has developed in people, including vegetarians, without any known cause. It is believed that the development of this disease in humans may be the result of a genetic mutation that is inherited.
• In addition, lead to the development this disease in humans, transfusion of contaminated blood, transplantation of tissues containing prions, and use of contaminated surgical instruments can occur.

Diagnosis and treatment

There is no special technology or physical test to diagnose this disease. However, a doctor may recommend a complete blood count along with an MRI and PET scan, and a brain biopsy to check for changes in the brain.

An effective treatment or medicinal product from this disease, unfortunately, no. Researchers continue to search for a drug that could help cure this disease, both in humans and animals. However, the patient may be prescribed certain medications to control symptoms. Love, care and moral support can help to cope with the disease.

In order to avoid the development of this disease, it is recommended to take certain preventive measures. Red meat consumption should be limited. Heating, boiling, and exposure to radiation or chemicals will not kill prions. Thus, cooking contaminated meat does not guarantee the safety of its consumption. Also in a good way preventing the development of this disease is the transition to a vegetarian diet. If you experience any of the above symptoms, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.