Symptoms
At the age of about 2 to 3 weeks, calves had conspicuous, spontaneous transcutaneous petechiae and haemorrhages in mucosal surfaces as well as excessive bleeding associated with trauma.
Results
Blood analysis revealed a marked thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, and granulocytopenia. Severe haemorrhages in the skin and gastrointestinal tract were the major findings at post-mortem examination.
Histological investigation indicated a severe bone marrow hypoplasia/aplasia.
Infections with bacteria, bovine viral diarrhoea virus, or bluetongue virus were ruled out.
Specific toxins such as Furazolidone, DCVC metabolites or mycotoxins were not detected.
Pedigree analysis gave no indication for heredity of this syndrome.
Using a broad-spectrum PCR, a circovirus with high similarities to porcine circovirus type 2b (PCV2b), was detected in several of the affected calves.
Conclusion
The distinct cause of the disease still remains unknown. Potentially, the pathogenesis is complex and includes components such as infection, hereditary disposition, and immune- mediated destruction of blood cell precursors.
Further investigations are necessary to clarify the role of PCV2.
Source
Proceedings of the 27th meeting of the European Society of Veterinary Pathology, Krakow, Poland, 9-12 Sep 2009 (pdf)
Proceedings of the 27th meeting of the European Society of Veterinary Pathology, Krakow, Poland, 9-12 Sep 2009 (pdf)
Abstract title: Fatal aplastic anaemia with haemorrhagic disease in calves in Germany. EC Kappe et. al.
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