Osteopetrosis, Anemia, Thrombocytopenia, and Marrow Necrosis in Beef Calves Naturally Infected with Bovine Virus Diarrhea Virus

Abstract

Bovine virus diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection in cattle has a complex set of clinical manifestations, depending on the strain of infecting virus, the immunological status of the host, and the presence or absence of coinfecting stains. Transient BVDV can be caused by either cytopathic or noncytopathic viral infection of immunocompete nt cattle. Calves infected in utero with noncytopathic BVDV (NC-BVDV) before the age of immunocompete nce may become persistently infected immunotolerant carriers of the virus. These persistently infected cattle may serve as viral shedders, infecting herdmates. Mucosal disease, the most severe clinical manifestation of BVDV, occurs when cattle are persistently infected with an NC-BVDV and then are coinfected with a cytopathic strain of BVDV. 1,3