Bovine papular stomatitis - Its first occurrence in Serbia

During July and August 1996 we had the opportunity to investigate bovine pa pular stomatitis for the first time in Serbia. The disease was diagnosed wh ile urgent efforts were being taken to control foot and mouth disease in Yu goslavia. A large number of animals was examined systematically; the animal s originating from Kosovo and other parts of the Republic wherever there wa s a suspicion of the disease. Cattle of all categories were affected, marke d by the presence of characteristic papules in the oral and perioral region s without any disturbances in their general health. The early lesion, in th e form of erythematous macules, ranging from 2mm to 2cm diameter occurred o n the muzzle and lips. The central part of the erytematous macule occasiona lly was slightly raised as a papule. Larger circular lesions, with a necrot ized centre and hyperaemic border, also occurred on the muzzle, lips, gingi vae hard palate, floor of the mouth, ventral and lateral surface of the ton gue and occasionally on the oesophagus and forestomach. The most characteri stic symptom was that of ballooning degeneration of the stratum spinosum ce lls and the presence of dense eosinophilic inclusions in their cytoplasm. T he described changes were detected in cattle of various ages, from calves b arely 2 months old to adult cattle 7 or more years old. However, the diseas e was predominant in young cattle. The exact number of affected animals was never established, but in some villages almost all herds were affected, es pecially where there was a possibility of direct contact at pasture. Diagno sis was based on the clinical disease, patho-morphological findings, electr on microscopical characterization of the causative virus and virus isolatio n.