Bovine ephemeral fever

Ephemeral fever is commonly known as 'three-day sickness'. It affects mainly cattle and occasionally sheep in India. Causative agent is a mosquito-borne virus placed under the genus Vesiculovirus in family Rhabdoviridae. The disease is characterized by fever, followed by stiffness of muscles of the legs, head, neck and back resulting in lameness and incoordination of movement. Animals go off feed, stop rumination and exhibit temporary paresis. The disease is seldom fatal, although deaths result occasionally. However, the febrile phase disappears and the animals recover dramatically by the third day. There is no specific treatment. Good nursing and symptomatic treatment aid speedy recovery. A recombinant DNA derived G protein vaccine is being tested for its application in endemic areas.