Rinderpest, caused by a member of the Morbillivirus genus of the family paramyxoviridae, is an acute, severe enteric disease of cattle. First recognized in the fourth century, it has been responsible for recurring epizootics, with massive mortality of cattle often associated with human famines. Currently, rinderpest is endemic in Africa and many parts of Asia. The virus is spread by close animal contact. Following a short incubation period, animals develop a severe, often bloody, diarrhea.
Mortality is variable but often very high.
Rinderpest virus infects and destroys lymphoid tissue and gut epithelium. Grossly, lesions may be florid with severe oral erosions and extensive gut ulcerations, which are most prominent over Peyer's patches. Histologically, in addition to widespread necrosis of lymphoid tissue, erosions and ulcerations of the oral cavity and small and large intestine are seen. In the intestine, all levels of crypt and villus epithelium are affected. Glossitis, erosive, acute, multifocal, severe, with epithelial syncytial cells, Hereford, bovine.