An Outbreak of a Disease in Farmed Fallow Deer (Dama Dama L) Resembling Bovine Virus Diarrhea/Mucosal Disease

Abstract

Farmed fallow deer suddenly developed disease showing lethargy, weakness, anorexia and several of them died. The animals showed macroscopic lesions in the digestive mucosa characterized by erosions, ulcers and necrotizing lesions. Histo-pathology of the mucous membranes revealed marked inter- and intracellular oedema, erosions, ulcers and intracyto-plasmic inclusions bodies. BVD-virus was demonstrated in 1 deer using an indirect immunofluorescence method. It is suggested that the disease may have been caused by Bovine Virus Diarrhea virus alone or in conjunction with a simultaneous infection by another unidentified virus.