Features of the development of smallpox in the defeat of sheep and goats
Smallpox of sheep and goats is an infectious contagious disease characterized by fever and papular-pustular rash on the skin and mucous membranes. Smallpox of sheep and goats is a highly contagious disease and causes significant economic damage. Thanks to preventive vaccinations, the disease among humans has been eradicated, while the disease remains among sheep and goats.
Etiology of the disease
Smallpox of sheep and goats is one of the first in the list of infectious contagious diseases of animals in terms of natural focus. The distribution area of sheep and goat pox covers the countries of Asia, Africa and Europe.
The so-called natural smallpox virus is pathogenic only for a certain species of animals, the conditions of which, their full-fledged feeding, significantly affect the course of the disease.
Sheep are infected with their specific virus, and goats are pathogenic to their species.
The specificity of the smallpox virus is considered a feature of the disease. This feature allows you to limit the spread of the disease within one specific animal species. Smallpox epizootics of sheep and goats can occur regardless of the season. The most difficult are the fine-wool breeds of sheep, their young livestock.
Coarse breeds, except Romanovskaya, get sick in a benign form, and the disease is detected at a later date.
Climatic conditions determine the course of the disease. In warm weather, the disease develops more easily; low temperatures aggravate the severity of the disease. Sunlight contributes to the early resolution of the erythematous-pustular process.
If a disease is detected, the living conditions and diet of the livestock should be improved.
Representatives of dairy and fine-wool breeds are most susceptible to goat pox. The disease affects a large number of livestock in a short time. But smallpox lesions are stopped within the limits of individuals of the same herd.
Natural focus becomes stationary.
The mechanism of development of the disease
The smallpox virus is transmitted from a sick animal to a healthy one through outflows from the nasal and oral cavity, excreted in feces, saliva. Contained in care items and manure. During the regeneration of damaged skin and mucous membranes, the fallen off smallpox crusts are a persistent pathogenic source of the pathogen.
How sheep and goat pox is transmitted can be traced when studying the ways of transmission of the virus.
Classification of ways of transmission of the virus:
- contact;
- through the gastrointestinal tract;
- airborne;
- placental;
- transmissible;
The mode of transmission will determine the further development of the disease.
The transmission route of infection is the transmission of the virus by blood-sucking insects. In rare cases, it is transmitted colostral (with milk) or intrauterine (through the placenta).
The last two modes of transmission of sheep and goat pox do not play a large role in the spread of the disease.
Rapid transmission of the pathogen is possible with the simultaneous maintenance of infected and healthy animals.This type of transmission is the most common. Contagiousness with it is 70-80% among other methods of transmission of the virus.
With the transmission of sheep and goat pox by airborne droplets (respiratory), septic phenomena occur, and the disease passes in a generalized form.
If you suspect a disease, immediately carry out a section of healthy and infected animals.
Symptoms
The sheep and goat pox virus causes the formation of smallpox exanthema of the skin and mucous membranes. The smallpox process is characterized by stages of development. There are stages:
- roseola;
- papules;
- vesicles;
- pustules;
- crust;
When studying the clinical picture, pay attention to the loss of the third and fourth stages. A characteristic feature of the manifestation of symptoms in sheep and goats with smallpox is the transition of papules directly into a scab (crust).
Smallpox infection in small ruminants is benign. The udder skin is affected, and in young goats, the mucous membrane of the nose and mouth is affected.
Distinguish forms of the disease:
- abortive
- drain
- hemorrhagic.
For the diagnosis of smallpox, the results of a clinical study are sufficient, given the infectious situation in the region.
Differential (comparative) diagnosis assumes the exclusion of scabies and scabs, non-infectious eczema in sheep. In goats, FMD and ecthyma of contagious origin are excluded.
A correctly diagnosed diagnosis will allow you to take the right measures to stop the focus of infection.
Treatment
There are no specific therapy methods. Sick sheep and goats transferred to separate rooms. They should be dry and warm. They are fed with a light nutritious food. A little potassium iodide is added to drinking water. Antibacterial drugs are used to avoid the development of secondary microflora. The transfer of the disease contributes to the acquisition of active lifelong immunity.
Preventive actions
Prevention should include the organization and implementation of routine preventive vaccinations of sheep and goats to create passive specific immunity.
To prevent smallpox of sheep and goats, it is necessary to systematically carry out veterinary and sanitary measures. If smallpox is detected, a quarantine regime should be introduced for the new animals that have arrived.
Violation of the quarantine regime provokes the emergence of new natural foci of viral infection.
The places where the sick livestock are kept are regularly disinfected with a solution of bleach containing at least 5% of active chlorine or sodium alkali. To prevent the spread of smallpox infection, pathological material (carcasses of small ruminants) is rendered harmless by incineration.
The use of wool, leather in case of death of sheep and goats for industrial purposes is prohibited!
After pasteurization, milk is used without restrictions.
The lightning-fast spread of smallpox of sheep and goats is facilitated by the accuracy of keeping and disturbances in the diet. Timely quarantine measures make it possible to heal the herd from smallpox epizootics in the shortest possible time.