Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) forms syncytial cells in cattle and is related to human BRSV. It has a high morbidity rate among calves aged 0-20 weeks and is transmitted via respiratory aerosols or direct contact. Vaccination for BRSV lacks efficiency and some research has shown apparent disease enhancement upon challenge. Diagnosis involves nasal swabs within 6 days of infection and gross necropsy may show severe pulmonary edema and interstitial emphysema. Treatment focuses on supportive care, antimicrobials, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Vaccination is recommended after maternal antibodies decline using inactivated or modified live vaccines but protection is short-lived requiring frequent revaccination.

1. Bovine respiratory syncytial virus
(BRSV).
Mirjam Laht

2. Outline
Introduction
Problematic vaccination
Procedures
Diagnosis
Treatment
Vaccination
Conclusions
References

3. What BRSV is ?
Formates syncytial cells
Related to human BRSV
High morbility rate (0-20)
Many research about the effects of
vaccination
Transmission via respiratory aerosols
or direct contact

4. Problematic vaccination
Vaccine
Lack of efficiency
Apparent disease enhancement
Research
Conducting
Experimental challenge does not, unlike
natural infection, result in respiratory
tract disease

5. Labile virus → isolation is rarely
successful from the tissue of a post-
mortem animal.
tracheal wash or lung lavage

6. Procedures
Vaccinating
↓
Infecting
↓
Searching clinical signs
→ cough, fever, depression, decreased feed
intake, increased respiratory rate, nasal and
ocular discharge (subcutaneous emphysema)
↓

8. ↓
Killing calves
↓
IFA, lungs examining and histochemical
research, sometimes also virus neutralising
tests, enzyme immunoassays
(antigen, antibody detection), nucleid acid
detection tests and histopathology

9. Gross necropsy lesions:
severe pulmonary edema
interstitial emphysema
Diagnosis
nasal swabs
3 samples of recently infected animals
Reliable proof of virus can only be provided in a
period of 6 days after infection
IFA

10. Treatment
3 ways
1)Supportive therapy
• removing infected animals from the group
2) Antimicrobials
3)anti-inflammatory drugs (non – steroidal
ones) → aspirin for food animals

11. Vaccination
stressed cattle may not respond
should be done after the maternal antibodies
have declined using inactivated or modified
live vaccine
Short time protection have to revaccinate
often
Vaccinating on branding or processing,
weaning ,every following year

12. Conclusion
It is important to remember that:
respiratory aerosols or direct contact
Researches haven´t shown a difference
between vaccining one , two or three time
Most susceptible are housed calves aged 4
weeks to 4 months

13. Used materials
http://homepage.usask.ca/~vim458/virology/st
udpages2009/VirusWebsite/brsv.html
http://www.animalhealth.bayerhealthcare.co
m/3372.0.html
https://animalhealth.pfizer.com/sites/pahweb/
US/EN/Conditions/Pages/Bovine_Respiratory_
Syncytial_Virus.aspx
http://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/1997
/spring/brsv.shtml

14. Thank you !