Papillomatosis in heifers - comparative studies on surgical excision and autogenous vaccine tãerapies

Abstract

Papillomatosis is a viral disease manifested with benign cutaneous growths (skin epithelium hyperplasia) in different body parts (abdominal and thoracic wall, udder, vulva, head, neck etc.) which is encountered in cattle, goats, dogs, rabbits, horses, rodents and men. The purpose of the present study was to compare the efficacy of two methods for treatment of bovine cutaneous papillomatosis – surgically and by application of autogenous vaccine, and to monitor the effect of applied treatments. The present study was performed in 14 heifers divided into two groups with clinical signs of papillomatosis from a private farm, reared and fed uniformly. The main localisation of papillomas was ventrally on the abdominal wall, along linea alba, but growths were also found on the udder, vulva and eyelids of some animals. Their size varied from small wart-like formations (1-5 cm diameter) to orange-sized growths either with a wide basis or a thin petiole. Some of them formed rosary-like conglomerates situated on the long abdominal wall axis. Material for histological examination was obtained from removed growths and for preparation of autogenous vaccine. The results from surgical excision in the first group were good – there were no recurrences in operated heifers. After application of the autovaccine in the second group, satisfactory results were obtained, although the results on papillomas of larger size (< 3 cm diameter) were disappointing.