| Summary |
Nonsuppurative encephalitis and congenital abnormalities cases have occurred in bovine herds in Chaiyi county in Taiwan. Four strains of Akabane viruse and four strains of Chuzan virus were isolated from heparinized blood among 112 cattle which were fed in 18 dairy farms in Chaiyi county. From the results, we suspected that the Akabane virus and Chuzan virus might be the major pathogen causing nonsuppurative encephalitis cases in cattle. The serological survey was conducted on the antibody against Akabane disease and Chuzan disase in 1993. The antibody positive rate against Akabane disease in 1652 heads of cattle of Taiwan was 96 percent. The positive rate of Chuzan diseas in 1679 heads of cattle was 91 %. Accorging to this high morbility, it is believed that cattle infected by Chuzan virus were very common. For the investigation of isolated virus in Taiwan, the sera of imported cattle which was feeding in Miaoli and Shinchung county were also detected antibody against Akabane disease and Chuzan disease. The result of Akabane disease was 17 heads to show positive reaction among 153 heads in Miaoli county ( positive rate 11 % ), and 2 heads to show positive reaction among 58 heads in Shinchung county ( positive rate 3 % ). Otherwise, no antibody against Chuzan disease was detected in these imported cattle. As the results, the imported cattle might free from Akabane virus and Chuzan virus infection before importation. As the conclusion, the isolated viruses may be an endemic pathogenic agent in Taiwan. The prevention policy chould includ developing vaccine with endemic virus strain to protect cattle in Taiwan.
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