First case report of vesicular stomatitis in the State of Paraíba, Brazil

Resumo

The present report describes the first case of vesicular stomatitis in the State of Paraíba, Brazil. Records from the Official Veterinary Services of the State of Paraíba were analyzed while responding to a suspected case of vesicular disease at a property (property I) in the municipality of Pombal in which the cattle showed clinical signs and lesions of vesicular disease. Surveillance in the surrounding area revealed similar lesions in cattle at two other properties (II and III). Based on these events, the suspicion was considered well founded, and samples were collected for evaluation at the National Agricultural Laboratory of the State of Pará. The property was interdicted, and those located within a 3 km radius (perifocal) from the focus were inspected. At property I, 42.86% (6/14) of the cattle showed vesicular disease lesions characterized by intense sialorrhea, ruptured oral vesicles, epithelial detachment of the tongue and muzzle, and vesicular lesions in the udder and interdigital space. Similar lesions were detected in cattle at properties II and III, affecting 80.95% (34/42) and 11.54% (3/26) of the animals, respectively. Tissue samples collected from the three properties were positive for the vesicular stomatitis virus (Indiana 3 subtype). The properties were monitored for 21 days after the last infected animal was cured, and afterwards, the three properties were released.