Epidemiological studies on a hairy shaker virus infected flock

Authors: Horner GW, Smart SH, Hunter R
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 34, Issue 11, pp 194-196, Nov 1986
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Clinical pathology, Diagnostic procedures, Epidemiology, Viral, Nervous system/neurology, Disease/defect, Infectious disease
Article class: Scientific Article

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Abstract: A serological study of hairy shaker disease (HSD) was carried out on a group of 30 Romney two-tooth ewes and their lambs over a two year period. Although ten ewes showed seroconversion to HSD virus during pregnancy, an association between infection with HSD virus and reproductive failure was not established. Passive immunity was demonstrated in nine of 21(43%) of the lambs. The duration of passive immunity was 10-20 weeks (mean 14.9 weeks) with the half life of antibody being 18.7 days (SD=3.04). The lambs were studied serologically for 12-20 months. Infection with HSD virus was demonstrated in nine of 16 lambs (56%) with most infections occurring in the summer and autumn when they were three to eight months old.

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