Experimental Acute BVDV Infection in White Tail Deer Fawn

Abstract

Bovine viral diarrhea viruses (BVDV) infect a number of domestic and wildlife species besides cattle. Because free ranging cervid populations are frequently in contact with domestic cattle in the US, possible transfer of BVDV between cattle and cervids has significant implications for proposed BVDV control programs. BVDV has been isolated from German roe deer, Scottish deer, white tail deer and mousedeer, but little information is available regarding clinical presentation and progression of infection in these species. Preliminary studies of experimental infection of deer with BVDV have noted seroconversion but no clinical signs. In this study we infected white tail deer fawns, negative for BVDV and antibodies against BVDV, with either a type 1 or a type 2 BVDV The clinical progression following inoculation in these fawns was similar to that seen in BVDV infections in cattle and included fever and depletion of circulating lymphocytes.