Virology, Nebraska Center for
Title
Viral Diseases of the Fetus
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
2007
Abstract
Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is one of the most commonly
encountered and economically important pathogens
of cattle in North America. Since the mid-20th century,
BVDV has been recognized as a significant cause of disease
of the gastrointestinal system. The impact of BVDV on reproduction
was not perceived for another 30 years, when
the occurrence of persistent infection in imunotolerant cattle
was described.
BVDV infections may occur in cattle as acute illness- that
is, bovine viral diarrhea (BVD)-or as a generally chronic
condition-mucosal disease. When susceptible regnant cattle
are infected with BVDV, transplacental infections usually
occur. Transplacental infections may lead to embryonic
or fetal death and abortion, to developmental defects
of organs, or to development of immunotolerance and establishment
of persistent Infections. Acute BVDV infections
contribute, through inmunosuppression, to causing
multifactorial diseases, such as diseases of the respiratory
and enteric tracts in susceptible calves.
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Comments
Published, as Chapter 50, in Current Therapy in Large Animal Theriogenology (2nd edition), edited by Robert S. Youngquist and Walter R. Threfall (St. Louis, MO: Saunders-Elsevier, 2007), pp. 399–408. Copyright © 2007 Saunders/Elsevier. Used by permission.