Bovine ephemeral fever

Taxobox
virus_group = v
ordo = "Mononegavirales"
familia = "Rhabdoviridae"
genus = "Ephemerovirus"

Bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) also known as Three Day Sickness is an arthropod vector born disease of cattle and is casued by the "Ephemerovirus" virus of the "Rhabdoviridae" family of virus. The "Rhabdoviridae" are a class V virus according to the Baltimore classification of viruses. The BEF virus is a bullet or cone shaped virion which consists of a negative, single stranded RNA genome with a lipid envelope and 5 structural proteins. The envelope glycoprotein G contains type specific and neutralizing antigenic sites. Theres has been recent evidence which demonstrated that the BEF virus induces apoptosis in several cell lines. It was however shown that apoptosis could be blocked by the caspase inhibitor (Z-VAD-fmk), indicating that bovine ephemeral fever virus induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in cultured cells.

Location

The virus has been found in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa and through eastern Australia.

Transmission

The virus is transmitted by an insect vector. The particular species linked to the virus are the biting midges "Culicoides oxystoma" and "C. nipponensis".

Disease Characteristics

The characteristics of the disease are the sudden onset of fever, stiffness, lameness, nasal and ocular discharges, depression, cessation of rumination and constipation. Although the pathogensis of the disease is complex it seems clear that the host inflammatory responses, mediated by the release of cytokines, are involved in the expression of the disease.

References

*cite journal | author=Hsieh, Y.C., Chen, S.H., Chou, C.C., Ting, L.J., Itakura, C. & Wang, F.I. | year=2005 | title=Bovine ephemeral fever in Taiwan (2001-2002) | journal=Journal of Veterinary Medical Science | issue=vol. 67, no. 4 | pages=pp. 411–416 | doi=10.1292/jvms.67.411 | volume=67
*cite journal | author=Chang, C.J., Shih, W.L., Yu, F.L., Liao, M.H. & Liu, H.J. | year=2004 | title=Apoptosis induced by bovine ephemeral fever virus | journal=Journal of virological methods | issue=vol. 122, no. 2 | pages=pp. 165–170 | doi=10.1016/j.jviromet.2004.08.016 | volume=122
*cite journal | author=Hsieh, Y.C., Wang, S.Y., Lee, Y.F., Chen, S.H., Mak, P.O.T. & Chu, C.Y. | year=2006 | title=DNA sequence analysis of glycoprotein G gene of bovine ephemeral fever virus and development of a double oil emulsion vaccine against bovine ephemeral fever | journal=Journal of Veterinary Medical Science | issue=vol. 68, no. 6 | pages=pp. 543–548 | doi=10.1292/jvms.68.543 | volume=68