Drastic cutaneous multi-focal orf infection in goats, causing severe dysfunctioning.

A flock of 76 goats was struck by orf infection at the Al-Ahsa oasis in eastern Saudi Arabia. The morbidity rate was 89%, while the case fatality rate was 3%. The clinical signs were most severe in three adult goats, which survived, and in two kids, which died of the infection. The lesions were multi-focal and so serious that they prevented the infected goats from seeing, eating, lactating or walking. The virus was isolated in Vero cell culture and a scab suspension was used to experimentally infect susceptible goats. These newly infected animals suffered only mild disease but the orf virus was re-isolated and the goats seroconverted. To the best knowledge of the authors, these were the most drastic orf lesions seen during the last 17 years in goats in Saudi Arabia.

Pseudocowpox virus: the etiological agent of contagious ecthyma (Auzdyk) in camels (Camelus dromedarius) in the Arabian peninsula.

We have determined the nucleotide sequence of DNA extracted from pustules, saliva, and blood of camels presenting with contagious ecthyma, in Bahrain and also from a sample (SACamel) of infected tissue from a camel that had presented with contagious ecthyma in 1998 in Saudi Arabia (1). Sequence homologies and phylogenetic analysis showed that this extracted DNA was more closely related to Pseudocowpox virus (PCPV) than Orf virus (ORFV), which infects sheep, goats, and other animal species. The phylogeny also demonstrated that PCPV in Arabian camels was phylogenetically distinct from, and circulates independently of, ruminant-associated PCPV from Europe.

Phylogenetic analysis of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus strains from the Arabian Peninsula: did RHDV emerge simultaneously in Europe and Asia?

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) emerged in 1984 in China and subsequently a single strain apparently dispersed worldwide killing millions of rabbits. Two isolates that caused outbreaks in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have been sequenced and analysed phylogenetically. The Saudi Arabian lineage is directly descended from the Chinese strain, but the Bahrain isolate occupies a distinct and more divergent lineage than the Chinese virus implying that epidemic RHDV strains have emerged at least twice during the past 20 years and are co-circulating in both domestic and wild rabbits.

A study on bovine ephemeral fever involving sentinel herds and serosurveillance in Saudi Arabia.

A nationwide study was conducted in Saudi Arabia to determine if bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) was present in cattle between 1993 and 1995. The study had two components: the first was establishment of sentinel herds of cattle in some localities, the second was to conduct a nationwide serological survey. The results indicated that Saudi Arabia was free of BEF during the period of study and that the cattle population was susceptible to the disease, which may have contributed to the fulminating epidemic of 1996. The epidemiological situation of the disease in Saudi Arabia is discussed in relation to the likelihood of introduction of the disease into the country.

Severe PPR infection in gazelles kept under semi-free range conditions.

By the end of March 2002, a collection of some 200 gazelles, kept under semi range conditions in Saudi Arabia, was hit by a highly fatal peracute disease. The morbidity rate was 51% while the case mortality rate was 100%. Clinico-pathological and virological investigations were carried out. A virus was isolated from the ailing gazelles which was identified as Peste des Petits Ruminants virus (PPRV). Epidemiology of the disease in the Arabian peninsula is discussed.

Abortions, stillbirths and deformities in sheep at the Al-Ahsa oasis in eastern Saudi Arabia: isolation of a bluetongue serogroup virus from the affected lambs.

A wave of abortions, stillbirths and deformities in sheep occurred at the Al-Ahsa oasis in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia in the second half of 1999. The abortions were recorded in August and September and stillbirths and deformities in neonates were observed in October. Adult sheep were clinically normal. A virus was isolated in chicken embryos, adapted to Vero cell culture and further identified as bluetongue (BT) virus. The virus isolated was not neutralised by the Akabane virus. Reference hyperimmune serum against antibodies to BT virus detected in the sera of the dams gave positive results for BT but negative results for both Akabane and bovine viral diarrhoea virus. It was concluded that the outbreak was caused by a virus of the BT serogroup. The authors present the clinico-pathological and epidemiological situation of the disease outbreak.

Sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever involving 3-5-week-old calves in Saudi Arabia.

Between late December 1999 and late April 2000, three locally bred Friesian calves (ageing 25, 28 and 35 days) in a dairy farm, at Al-Ahsa locality of the eastern region of Saudi Arabia showed dullness and inappetence. Their rectal temperatures ranged between 41 and 41.5 degrees C. One to 2 days later and onwards, the calves showed lacrimation, nasal discharge, salivation, oedema of the head, conjunctivitis, exo-ophthalmia and corneal opacity. One calf showed diarrhoea. The superficial lymph nodes were oedematous and swollen. The calves died after 7, 5 and 8 days, respectively, following the onset of the disease. Calves and rabbits were experimentally infected with materials from the naturally infected calves. The rabbits showed fever, mild conjunctivitis and one rabbit showed wet faeces. The experimentally inoculated calves showed rise in temperature and mild symptoms but none of them died. The virus from the naturally infected calves and from the experimentally infected rabbits was identified as malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) virus using both the complement fixation test and the fluorescent antibody test, employing a reference anti-serum against the WC 11 strain of MCF virus. Serological survey for MCF antibodies in cattle, sheep and goats from the affected farm revealed that 54% of the examined animals were positive. The situation of MCF in Saudi Arabia was discussed in relation to sheep and wild game. This paper constitutes the first report of MCF in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.

First report of an outbreak of ovine septicaemic listeriosis in Saudi Arabia.

Although a case of human listeriosis has recently been reported in Saudi Arabia, the disease has not been reported in animals to date. The authors describe an outbreak of septicaemic listeriosis in sheep, which occurred during winter. Adult animals and pregnant ewes were principally affected, with a morbidity rate of 7.1% and a mortality rate of 2.4%; no abortions were recorded during the outbreak. Clinical signs included inappetence, weakness, fever, respiratory distress, keratoconjunctivitis and compulsive circling. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated in pure culture from affected sheep. Pathological findings indicated septicaemic listeriosis with encephalitis. Hygienic measures and antibiotics were successful in treating the rest of the flock. Aspects of the outbreak and public health implications are discussed.

Contagious ecthyma associated with myiasis in sheep.

A severe outbreak of contagious ecthyma (orf) is described in sheep in Saudi Arabia. In some of the affected sheep, the condition was highly aggravated by myiasis which appeared to have been favoured by the abundance of flies during the hot season. The outbreak is discussed in relation to the epidemiology of the disease in Saudi Arabia.

An eruptive moderate form of camelpox infection in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Saudi Arabia.

An eruptive moderate form of camelpox infection is reported in camels aged three to four years from the Al-Ahsa region of Saudi Arabia. The clinical signs were moderate in nature (between the 'mild' and the 'severe' form). The morbidity rate was 100% while the case fatality rate was 0%. Camelpox virus was isolated and identified using electron microscopy and serological analysis.