Aujeszky's disease

A disease primarily of pigs but can occur in other secondary host species; caused by porcine herpesvirus 1 and characterized by respiratory, reproductive and nervous signs. In piglets there is incoordination followed by recumbency and convulsions and most piglets die. In older pigs the predominant signs are dyspnea, coughing, sneezing and nasal discharge. Nervous signs follow in some pigs. The mortality rate is low. Infection of sows in late pregnancy causes abortion and stillbirths or mummified fetuses. In secondary hosts infection is acquired from pigs and nervous signs predominate. In cattle the disease is characterized by frenzied scratching, intense excitement, paralysis, convulsions and death of all affected animals. Called also pseudorabies, ‘mad itch’.