Investigations on Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis in Egyptian Cattle and Buffaloes

Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis-Infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IBR/IPV) virus was isolated and identified from a herd of cattle and buffaloes, suffering from respiratory and genital disorders during May 2007. These animals were located at Giza Governorate with a total number of 350, (200 in open farms and 150 in closed farms). Vaginal, nasal and ocular swabs were collected (136 samples were collected from the open farm and 55 samples were collected from the closed farm). By inoculation on MDBK, 23 suspected viral isolates gave clear cytopathic effect (CPE) and by fluorescent antibody technique (FAT) ten IBR viral isolates were identified, showing clear intranuclear inclusion bodies. Serologically, a total number of 86 serum samples were collected from cattle, buffalo calves aged from 3 – 12 months and adult dairy cattle and buffaloes and were tested for IBR / IPV antibodies by ELISA. ELISA demonstrated all types of antibodies to the virus. The highest percentage of positive reactors was reported for acute convalescent cattle (85.7%) in closed farms followed by acute convalescent adult cattle (66%) in open farms. While the incidence in apparently healthy cattle in closed farms was 80% and in open farms were 62.5%. The percent of positive reactors in buffaloes were 40%, which is less than percent of cattle present in contact with them in the same open farm. The positive reactors in cattle and buffaloe calves were 62.5 and 40%, in 3-6 months of age and 50 and 33% in 6-13 months of age, respectively. ELISA is considered the most rapid, reliable, inexpensive and simple test and is particularly well suited to the analysis of a large number of samples.