Bovine Viral Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease, Abortion, and Congenital Cerebellar Hypoplasia in a Dairy Herd

Abstract

SUMMARY Two mature cows died and 21 cattle had diarrhea during an epizootic of bovine viral diarrhea-mucosal disease ( bvd-md ) diagnosed on the basis of clinical signs, gross lesions, and serologic tests. Of 29 cattle pregnant during the epizootic, 19 had normal calves, 8 aborted, and 2 had calves (at term) with cerebellar hypoplasia and degeneration. One aborted fetus with a grossly normal brain had histologic evidence of cerebellar hypoplasia and degeneration. The dams of the calves born with cerebellar disorders were 134, 152, and 183 days pregnant at the estimated time of maternal infection.