A CASE REPORT OF BOVINE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS AT THE
BENGAL VETERINARY COLLEGE HOSPITAL
By A. MUKERJI, B. Sc., G. V. Sc., Laboratory Assistant, Bengal Veterinary
College, Calcutta
(Received for publication on 6 March 1944)
THE object of this paper is to place on
record the occurrence of Encephalomyeli-
tis in a cow in the Bengal Veterinary
College Hospital during the month of
November, 1943.
INTRODUCTION
Borna disease (Syn:—Enzootic men-
ingo-encephalomyelitis) occurs primarily
in horses but cattle, sheep, deer, etc. also
become infected. Nicolau and Galloway
[1927] had shown that a variety of domes-
ticated animals is susceptible to a specific
encephalomyelitis caused by the virus of
Borna disease. This disease has a wide
distribution in Europe, particularly in
Germany, and also in America. A disease of
young cattle described by McNutt [1940]
as primarily an infectious encephalitis and
meningitis, having a close resemblance to
Listerella infection, was later found to be
due to a virus—the probable etiology of
bovine encephalomyelitis. An outbreak
of bovine encephalomyelitis, caused in all
probability by an ultra-visible virus, has
been recorded from the Imperial Veter-
inary Research Institute, Izatnagar
[Hassan and Idnani, 1943]. The present
paper deals with what appears to be the
similar affection in a six-year old grey
Nagore cow, which was admitted in the
Bengal Veterinary College Hospital on
19-11-'43 for invistigation, diagnosis and
treatment.
SYMPTOMATOLOGY
The onset of the disease was sudden.
Restlessness, stamping of the feet, bellow-
ing, staggering, attacking the surrounding
objects switching of the tail and frequent
attempts at micturition were the early
symptoms observed. Temperature was
elevated only slightly above the normal,
bowels were constipated, urine was scanty
and rumination was stopped. Hyper
esthesia in the region of face, neck and
along the vertebral column was pronounc
ed and reflex irritability was increased
Slight external stimuli were sufficient to
cause general cramp. The period of
excitement lasted for about 24 hours and
was followed by progressive depression
In co-ordination with these loss of power
in the hind limbs became manifest. Later,
paralysis supervened and the animal col-
lapsed. Twitching of the superficial
muscles, specially of the face and neck,
with spasms of the extremities, specially
of the hind legs, were marked. There
was difficulty in swallowing from the very
outset and saliva flowed out of the mouth.
The neck became stiff and was bent back-
wards. Pupils were dilated and the reac-
tion to light was entirely absent. Respira-
tion during the period of excitement was
accelerated, but afterwards retarded and
became superficial. Temperature came
down to normal on the termination of
excitement and then became subnormal
towards the end. Hyperesthesia and
reflex irritability, which were increased at
the commencement, passed off as the
disease progressed. Repeated straining
resulting in prolapse of the rectum and
vagina was a marked feature of the dis-
ease. Towards the end, the animal passed
on to coma and complete paralysis and
died on 29-11-43, i.e. after suffering for
ten days.
POST-MORTEM FINDINGS
AND LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS
The only organs which showed changes
of specific nature were the brain, the
spinal cord and the meninges. These
organs showed numerous
pinpoint
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