Main description:

Not so many years ago little attention was paid to non-parasitic respiratory diseases of cattle because they seemed of minor importance. However, in the past twenty years, as the number of cattle kept on any farm unit increased under economic pressures, there has been a concomitant rise in the prevalence of respiratory illness. Investigations into cattle respiratory diseases have become a significant part of the research effort in most countries of Europe. Initially much work went into finding, like the alchemist's stone, the orgdnism responsible for causing cattle respiratory disease. Many viruses were isolated and over the years a long list of those recovered from the respiratory tract of cattle has been prepared. Unfortunately, few of these viruses on their own are recognised as proven pathogens and no single virus provides the complete aetiological answer to bovine respiratory disease. More recently, perhaps in despair, g~eater attention has been directed to the role of mycoplasma and, additionally. a revival of interest has taken place in the significant part played by bacteria in the later stages of res piratory disease. Now, phrases such as "multifactorial disease" are being commonly used to describe the complex situation with respiratory disease.

Contents:

Session 1: Incidence.- Variation in the respiratory virus status of large bovine units in Belgium.- Respiratory diseases in calves - incidence and epidemiology in Denmark.- Epidemiological survey of infectious bovine rhynotracheitis in France.- Respiratory diseases in cattle, disease incidence and epidemiology - the situation in Germany.- Respiratory diseases in cattle in the Republic of Ireland.- Statistical data on calf mortality and diseases in Italian beef and dairy herds.- Bovine respiratory diseases - the situation in the Netherlands.- Disease incidence and epidemiology - the situation in the UK.- A serosurvey of viruses during outbreaks of acute respiratory/enteric disease in Swedish cattle.- Disease incidence and epidemiology - the situation in the USA.- Discussion.- Session 2A: Parasitic and Adult.- The pneumonias of adult cattle.- The pulmonary lesions characteristic of parasitic bronchitis and the commoner pneumonias of adult cattle in Britain.- Dictyocaulosis in Germany.- Allergic pathophysiology of bovine lung.- Discussion.- Session 2B: Environment.- Influence of environment on respiratory disease.- Influence of environment on respiratory disease.- Some factors influencing respiratory disease in growing bulls and the effect of treatment on liveweight.- Studies of calf respiratory disease in a large commercial veal unit.- Discussion.- Session 3: Pneumonia/Viruses.- On respiratory viral infections in cattle in Denmark.- Bovine respiratory syncytial virus infection and symptoms of atypical interstitial pneumonia.- Epidemiology of respiratory diseases in calves in 1977 in the West of France.- The role of viruses in acute respiratory disease of cattle.- The role of viruses as aetiologic agents for respiratory diseases in cattle.- The respiratory troubles in cattle in Belgium.- Discussion.- Session 4A: Mycoplasmas.- Mycoplasmas involved in bovine pneumonia.- Respiratory disease and the incidence of pulmonary mycoplasmasmosis in intensively-reared calves in Italy.- Isolation and pathogenicity of mycoplasmas from the respiratory tract of calves.- Some features of pulmonary mycoplasmosis in groups of naturally infected calves.- Defence mechanisms in calves against respiratory infections with mycoplasmas.- Discussion.- Session 4B: Bacterial.- Pulmonary bacterial flora of pneumonic and non-pneumonic calves.- The role of pasteurallae in respiratory diseases of cattle.- Discussion.- Session 5A: Pathology.- The pathology of calfhood pneumonias.- Some pulmonary lesions of calves and their significance.- Discussion.- Session 5B: Therapy.- Pharmacological considerations of current methods of therapy.- Treatment of infectious respiratory disease of calves.- Discussion.- Session 5C: Immunity.- Parainfluenza-3 virus neuraminidase and antineuraminidase in infection and protection of the bovine respiratory tract.- The respiratory tract immune system.- Anaphylactic antibodies in cattle - Their colostral transmission to calves and possible localisation in the respiratory tract.- Immunology in calf respiratory disease.- Discussion.- Session 6A: Vaccination.- Bovine respiratory syncytial (RS) virus infection and vaccination experiments.- Results of a small field trial with a multicomponent inactivated respiratory viral vaccine.- Vaccination against bovine enzootic pneumonia.- Experimental assessment of parainfluenza type 3 virus vaccines.- Enzootic bronchopneumonia in young cattle, a constant challenge to the clinician.- Discussion.- Session 6B: Application of Research and Future Developments.- Application of research and future developments.- Discussion.- Summary.- Closing remarks.- List of participants.