Domestic Cattle Disease Infects Big Horns, Buffalo

PNEUMONIA, OVINE - USA (03): (MONTANA), BIGHORN SHEEP***********************************************A ProMED-mail postProMED-mail is a program of theInternational Society for Infectious Diseases Date: 24 Jan 2009From: David Thomson [edited] Agreed that this is a very sad situation. Without intimate knowledge of the specific details of the causative infection strain(s), I am wondering whether an autogenous vaccine may be a way forward, given the conservation and regional significance of this species. If the primary is a strain of _Pasteurella multocida_, it may be viable based on what is known for other _P. multocida_ infections (e.g. fowl cholera in chickens, what are correctly or incorrectly variously referred to from time to time as "haemorrhagic septicaemia" or "shipping fever" in ruminants, etc). I'd expect there to also be a few vaccine delivery issues, but if the sick sheep can be destroyed by shooting, the unaffected ones can probably also be darted or trapped and vaccinated in the normal way. For darting, it may warrant some work to design and construct an appropriate dart (e.g. one that reliably delivers sub-cutaneously, is shed by the target after delivery without causing or leaving a nasty septic wound to create other health and welfare problems, etc.), but if one exists or could be designed, then it might come in quite handy elsewhere in other species for other disease prevention and control efforts involving wild animals, endangered or otherwise. --Communicated by:David Thomson [An autogenous vaccine may be an option. However, I suspect that time and cost of development of a reliable subcutaneous dart delivery system may exceed the time of the outbreak. But it does seem there should be a response to protect the healthy animals. While there may not be an approved vaccine, there are methods for rapid approval of autogenous vaccines. - Mod.TG] [see also:Pneumonia, ovine - USA (02): (MT), bighorn sheep 20100117.019Pneumonia, ovine - USA: (NV) bighorn sheep 20100109.01052009----Pneumonia, bighorn sheep - USA (02): (MT) 20091203.4129Pneumonia, bighorn sheep - USA: (MT) 20091126.40552006----Pneumonia, bighorn sheep - USA (NM) 20060316.08242005----Pneumonia, bighorn sheep - USA (CA) 20050828.2546Pneumonia, bighorn sheep - USA (SD) (02) 20050312.0729Pneumonia, bighorn sheep - USA (SD) 20050309.06992004----Brucellosis, bighorn sheep - USA (WY) 20040118.01942002----Unexplained pneumonia, bighorn sheep - USA (Wyoming) 20020322.37911999----Epizootic hem. disease, deer, bighorn sheep - Canada (BC) 19991109.20051998----Psoroptic mange, bighorn sheep - USA (Utah) (02) 19980115.0114Psoroptic mange, bighorn sheep - USA (Utah) 19980106.00311996----Bighorn sheep mortality, 1995 19960718.1287]..............................................tg/msp/dk *##########################################################*************************************************************ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports thatare posted, but the accuracy and completeness of theinformation, and of any statements or opinions basedthereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks inusing information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISIDand its associated service providers shall not be heldresponsible for errors or omissions or held liable for anydamages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon postedor archived material.************************************************************Become a ProMED-mail Premium Subscriber at************************************************************Visit ProMED-mail's web site at .Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org(NOT to an individual moderator). If you do not give yourfull name and affiliation, it may not be posted. Sendcommands to subscribe/unsubscribe, get archives, help,etc. to: majordomo@promedmail.org. For assistance from ahuman being send mail to: owner-promed@promedmail.org.########################################################################################################################