ALENCE OF RUMINANT PESTIVIRUS INFECTIONS IN NAMIBIA
DEPNER, K., HUBSCHLE, O . J. B. & L1ESS, B. , 1991. Prevalence of ruminant pestivirus infections in Namibia. Onderslepoorl Journal ofVelerinary Research 58. 107-109 (1991) Following several clinical cases of suspected bovine virus diarrhoea .(BVD) on three Namibian ca ttle farms, a serological survey was cooducted on bovloe , ovme , capnne and wold rUffilOant sera originating from different regions of the country. Neutralizing antibodies to BVD ViruS (BVDV) were detected in 58 % of 1 014 cattle sera, 14 % of 618 sheep sera and 4,6 % of 1 118 goat sera. Sera from seven of teo wildlife species lVere positive with kudu , eland and giraffe having prevalence rates greater than 40 %. BVDV was isolated [rom six clinically affected bovlOes and three healthy heifers persistently infected with BVDV . The survey demonstrated that pestivirus infections are widespread 10 Namibia In hoth domestic and wild ruminants.
Isolation of cytopathogenic strains of bovine viral diarrhea virus in Southern Africa
From outoreaks of bovme viral diarrhoea-mucosal disease on two farms, one in the Republic of South Africa and one in Rhodesia, cytopathogenic strains of bovine viral diarrhoea virus were isolated. When the new isolates were compared serologically with the Oregon C24V reference strain they appeared to be identical. This was the first isolation and identification of mucosal disease virus in Southern Africa.
A preliminary survey of British deer for antibody to some virus diseases of farm animals.
SUMMARY Five species of deer found in the British countryside (red, fallow, roe, sika and Chinese water deer) were examined for antibody to several viruses, principally those of farm animals. Antibody was found to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus in red deer, to bovine virus diarrhoea virus in red, fallow and sika deer, to reovirus group 1 and 2 in red, fallow, roe, sika and Chinese water deer, and to adenovirus group A in red, fallow, sika, roe and Chinese water deer. No antibody was detected in any of the deer to foot-and-mouth disease, swine vesicular disease, epizootic haemorrhagic disease of deer, bluetongue, bovine herpes mammillitis or parainfluenza 3 viruses. The results of this survey, which included viruses of economic importance to the livestock industry of the United Kingdom, indicate that deer are unlikely to act as important reservoir hosts for diseases of cattle and sheep.