CLINICAL, EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF AN OUTBREAK OF BUFFALO POX

摘要

A total of 216 buffaloes with different ages and sex, belonged to a private farm at Gharbia Governorate were exposed to skin disease suspected to be buffalo pox. Those animals were kept under observation for 12 weeks, the period during which new caseshad been developed. The diseased animals were subjected to clinical, serological and histopathological examination. In addition, the pattern of occurrence including the duration of the outbreak, weekly incidence, temporal distribution and age susceptibility relationship were recorded. The results revealed great variations in the clinical reaction. Three clinical forms were recorded: Mild form (cow pox-like form), moderate form with limited distribution of the lesions and severe generalized form with extensive distribution of the lesions allover the skin. The clinical variation was accompanied by pathological changes. Epidemiologically, it was found that the duration of the outbreak was 9 weeks with attack rate of 7.87 %. The incidence rate was 0.009 animal/week. The fatality rate was 5.8 %. There was no positive correlation between the age and the susceptibility to the disease.