Outbreak of wildebeest-associated malignant catarrhal fever in Ankole cattle

During an outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever in a herd of Ankole cattle in a zoological collection, two adult cows and one adult bull from a herd of 15 died or were euthanased between July and November 2004. The clinical, gross postmortem and histological findings were typical of the disease in UK native domestic cattle. The diagnosis was confirmed by serology in two animals, and by PCR in all three; the PCR provided evidence of alcelaphine herpesvirus type 1 infection in all three animals and also of ovine herpesvirus type 2 infection in one.