The Isolation from an Eland of a Strain of Rinderpest Virus Attenuated for Cattle

Abstract

An attenuated field strain of rinderpest virus isolated from an eland (Taurotragus oryx) was stable on serial passage in cattle. It infected zebu and grade cattle, hairy sheep and goats but not pigs, mice, g.pigs and rabbits. The disease in cattle was non-lethal, with mild but prolonged fever, mouth lesions and infrequent, transient diarrhoea. It spread readily, however, by contact amongst susceptible cattle. The strain therefore resembled the attenuated field strain isolated 10 years before in Tanganyika from infected crossbred Ankole-zebu cattle.