Prevalence of Virus Neutralising Antibodies to Malignant Catarrhal Fever Virus in Oryx (Oryx Beisa Callotis)

Abstract

Virus neutralising antibodies to malignant catarrhal fever virus were demonstrated in the sera of 50 oryx (Oryx beisa callotis). The mean antibody titre in 42 adult oryx was 10.1.23 Two calves which were 2 weeks’ old had a mean titre of 101.54 but the level of circulating antibody had started to decline in 2 months old calves. The antibody titres continued to decline only to rise steeply in 9 months old calves. Despite the high prevalence of antibodies in oryx no virus was isolated from blood or nasal secretions inoculated into calf thyroid cell cultures or rabbits.