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Volume 20, Number 8—August 2014
Dispatch

Natural Intrauterine Infection with Schmallenberg Virus in Malformed Newborn Calves

Calixte Bayrou1, Mutien-Marie Garigliany1, Michael Sarlet, Arnaud Sartelet, Dominique Cassart, and Daniel DesmechtComments to Author 
Author affiliations: University of Liège, Liège, Belgium

Main Article

Table 1

Macroscopic characteristics of 15 SBV-infected newborn calves at necropsy, Belgium, January–March 2012*

Characteristic WBD-0† WBD-1† WBD-2† WBD-3† Total no. calves
No. calves 2 4 4 5 15
Method of death
Euthanasia 2 3 0 0 5
Spontaneous 0 1 4 5 10
Bodyweight, kg‡§ 49 ± 4 39 ± 3 34 ± 3 21 ± 2
Axial musculoskeletal system
Defect location
Cervical 0 2 4 5 11
Thoracic 0 0 2 5 7
Lumbar 0 0 0 5 5
Type of deviation
Lateral 0 2 4 5 11
Dorso-ventral 0 0 1 4 5
Helicoidal 0 0 1 4 5
Appendicular musculo-skeletal system
Arthrogryposis (>1 limb involved) 0 3 4 5 12
Symetric limb involvement NA 3 3 5 11
Forelimb/hind limb involvment NA 0 1 5 6
Forelimbs only NA 2 3 0 5
Hind limbs only NA 1 0 0 1
Head
Coaptation defect
Prognathism 0 0 0 1 1
Brachygnathism 0 1 1 2 4
Altered profile
Horse-like 0 1 1 0 2
Pig-like 0 0 0 2 2
Broken sagittal axis 0 1 2 2 5
Central nervous system
Porencephaly 2 3 3 1 9
Hydranencephaly 1 1 0 1 3
Hydrocephaly 0 0 1 4 5
Cerebellar hypoplasia 0 0 0 1 1
Micromyelia 2 4 4 5 15

*Fifteen newborn calves infected in utero by SBV were categorized according to the extent of their deformities. The table lists the gross morphologic changes observed at necropsy. SBV, Schmallenberg virus; WBD, whole-body deformity score; NA, not applicable.
†Animals with neurologic signs and apparently normal body shape were given a WBD of 0; those with altered body shape were scored 1, 2, or 3 depending on whether 1, 2, or 3 skeletal segments were deformed, respectively (spine, forelimbs, or hind limbs). All values are number of calves unless otherwise indicated.
‡Mean + SD.
§Bodyweight of age-matched Belgian Blue healthy calves is 49.2 kg + 7.1 kg (7).

Main Article

References
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1These authors contributed equally to this article.

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Page updated: July 18, 2014
Page reviewed: July 18, 2014
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