Todayโs path rounds are on ๐จ๐ซ๐!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐ซ๐ is viral disease that can be found throughout the world! It also goes by the names ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ๐ฆ๐ or ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This disease is classically seen in sheep and goats, however it can infect many other animals. It can even infect humans who are handling infected animals.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Orf is caused by a ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ฑ๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ, which infects ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ (skin cells) by entering small wounds in the skin. Typically, this infection occurs first around the lips after the animal eats rough or scratchy feed, allowing the virus to enter the skin. From there, the virus can spread to the eyes and muzzle. Once the virus has infected the epidermis, it produces a ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ that causes the skin cells to proliferate rapidly. This produces the crusty, raised lesions that are characteristic of the disease.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
Unfortunately, these scabby lesions can be quite painful for the animal! In some cases, they may even stop eating due to the pain, leading to weight loss and even starvation. This is particularly true in lambs, who will not drink enough milk to maintain their growing body.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
The crusting lesions around the mouth are characteristic of the disease, so often no further diagnostic tests are needed. However, in some unusual looking cases, the veterinarian might conduct a ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ to directly identify the virusโ DNA to confirm the disease.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐? ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐?
Unfortunately there is no specific treatment for this disease, other than simply allowing the animalโs immune system to kick in. This can take 1-4 weeks to clear the infection. In the mean time, it is important to quarantine the animal away from other animals, and use caution when handling the animal due to the zoonotic risk.
Thankfully, there is now a vaccine for this disease! However, it is a ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐, which means it works by giving the animal the disease and allowing it to recover. This is important to know, because these animals must be quarantined away from unvaccinated animals, and must be handled with appropriate biosecurity measures.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-5) Crusty sheep and goats with orf.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 1. Sixth Edition.
Scott PR. Overview of contagious ecthyma. Merck Veterinary Manual 2016.
Photos 1-5 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributors King, Nuehring, Luginbuhl, Mosier, McGavin licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
