BLUE TONGUE

(Sore muzzle, Pseudo foot and mouth disease, Muzzle diseases)

INTRODUCTION

• Non contagious diseases

• Arthropod borne viral diseases of sheep and other ruminants

• Endemic in some areas

CLASSIFICATION

• Baltimore group- GroupIII double stranded RNA viruses

• Family- Reoviridae

• Genus- Orbivirus

• Species- Blue tongue virus

Term- Reo means Respiratory Enteric Orphan viruses.

MORPHOLOGY

• 70-85nm in diameter

• Not enveloped, not ether sensitive.

• Icosahedral symmetry

• Capsid- two layers-

• Outer capsid- two proteins-VP2 and VP5.

• VP2 major neutralizing antigen and determinant of serotype specificity.

• Core- VP7, VP3, three minor proteins and RNA

• VP7 –major determinant serotype specificity

• VP7- attach to insect cells

• 10 segments of double stranded RNA

• RNA – Methylated cap, no poly tail

RESISTANCE

• Lipid resistance

• Acid labile, slow freezing at -10 to-20˚C

• Inactivated- 50˚c /3 hours or 60˚C/15 minutes

• Β-propiolactone, Iodophores, phenolic compounds inactivate the virus.

• Very stable in blood stored at 20˚C

• Agglutinates mammalian RBCs

SEROTYPES

• 14 serogroups- 24 serotypes

• Differentiated by immunological tests

• Cross reactions between BT and EHD serogroups.

CULTIVATION

• Embryonated chicken eggs and cell culture systems

→ECE-route –yolksac-incubate at 33.5˚C. Embryos die in 2to 7 days. Haemorrhages-

cherry red appearance.

→Cell culturesystems like BHK-21, African green monkey kidney and Aedes albopictus
cells.

• Cytopathic effects-antigen capture ELISA, Immunofluorescence,

immunoperoxidase or virus neutralization tests.

PATHOGENESIS
• Hosts-all ruminants mainly sheep.

• Cattle- reservoir host

• Distribution- Africa, America,Australia and Southern Asia and Oceania.

• Transmission- by Culicoides, also by semen, embryos and transplacentally.

• Mechanical – contaminated needles and equipment

• Incubation period- 7-10 days

• Morbidity- 100 percent,Mortality-0 to 50 percent

• Abortogenic and teratogenic properties

Virus entry into host

Initial replication in hematopoietic cells

Viremia

Subsequent replication in endothelial cells

Swelling of endothelial cells and necrosis

Edema, haemorrhages

↓
 Thrombosis and infarction

SYMPTOMS

• Oral buccal mucosa vascular affection and Reproductive syndrome

SHEEP

• Pyrexia-41.6-41.7˚C

• Excess salivation, frothing in mouth

• Arched back

• Sloughing of hooves

• Rapid weight loss

• Prostration and death

• Abortions, stillbirths and weak “dummy lamb”live births.

CATTLE

• Mild hyperemia- buccal cavity and coronary band

• Vesicular lesions – ulcerations

• Hyperesthesia

• Production loss

GOAT

• Inapparent affection
LESIONS

• Depends on 1) strains of virus 2)individual animal and breed susceptibility 3) Environment

factors

• Prominent lesions- facial oedema, edematous ears, and dry, crusty exudate over the nostrils.

• Oral lesions: Hyperemia, edema, cyanosis,multiple haemorrhages, swelling, erosions and

ulcers of tongue and lateral surface of teeth.

• Foot lesions:

Congestion of skin with oedema and PMN infiltration.

• Skeletal muscle:

1. Haemorrhage and necrotic foci.

2. Haemorrhage in abomasums, duodenum and myocarditis.

3. Serosanguinous fluid in pericardium

• Fatty liver

• Large congested kidney

• Pulmonary edema and congestion

• New born lambs:

Hydranencephaly

Abnormal development of cerebellum and spinal cord

DIAGNOSIS

• Field diagnosis

• Isolation and identification

1. Clinical materials

2. Isolation systems

3. Immunological tests:

a. Serogrouping

b. Serotyping

4. Nucleic acid detection methods:

• Serological tests:

1. CFT

2. AGID TEST

3. Competitive ELISA

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

• FMD

• Pasteurellosis

• IBRT

• BVD-MD

• Epizootic haemorrhagic diseases of deer

TREATMENT
• Not effective, only supportive

• To minimize animal stress and bacterial infection

CONTROL AND ERADICATION

• Vector control

• Vaccination – endaemic areas.

No inactivated or subunit vaccines available

ZOONOTIC IMPORTANCE

• No known human infection associated with BTV.