CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC STUDIES OF BOVINE VIRAL DIARRHEA IN BUFFALO CALVES AT BASRAH GOVERNORATE ,IRAQ

Bovine viral diarrhea BVD has been detected and diagnosed in local buffalocalve breeds of Basrah, Iraq. The study was conducted to examine (980) suspectedbuffalo calves under one year old and of both sexes. One hundred sixty-eight(168)calves give positive results with PCR test. Twenty-five (25) clinical healthylocal buffalo calves are considered as controls. Diseased calves show different clinicalmanifestations belong to the disease with a significant increase indicated in the bodytemperature, respiratory and heart rate, as well as the capillary refill time of diseasedbuffalo calve compared with controls. Results of hematological changes indicated asignificant increase in packed cell volume in diseased buffalo calve than in controls,Moreover, A significant leukocytopenia due to a significant lymphocytopenia wasalso indicated in diseased animals compared with the control group. Results of theclotting factor indices of diseased calves and controls show a significant decrease intotal platelet counts, However, the platelet volume and the platelet distribution width,the clotting time, the prothrombin time, the activated partial thromboplastin time wassignificantly increased in infected animals than in controls. A significant high valuewas indicated in Aspartate and Alanine aminotransferase, Alkaline phosphatize aswell as the blood urea nitrogen, In BVD buffalo animals than in the control animals,On the contrary, a significant decrease was encountered in total protein in diseasedcalves than in the control group. Results of the acute phase response of the currentstudy revealed a significant increase in haptoglobin in BVD buffalo calves than thecontrol group, Whereas, a significant decrease in Fibrinogen time has been indicatedin BVD calves. The macroscopic examinations of the BVD carcasses revealed severecongestion of the intestinal vessels accompanied by Ecchymotic hemorrhagic enteritiswith multiple enlargements of mesenteric lymph nodes along with most parts of thesmall and large intestine with pasty fecal materials. Furthermore, atrophy of theintestinal villi with sloughing of the epithelial lining of villi of the small intestine, aswell to hyperplasia of goblet cells, infiltration of inflammatory cells in the intestinalmucosa, to congestion of blood vessels was also indicated via histopathologicalexaminations. It has been concluded that BVD has very harmful effects on domesticruminants, which mostly terminated by death, Therefore, applying the controlmeasures is the final and suitable choice to control and eliminate the disease.