Alcelaphine herpesvirus 2 is a type of rhadinovirus

Rhadinovirus

Rhadinoviruses are a genus of herpesviruses that include the Human herpesvirus 8 , also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus , which causes Kaposi's sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma and multicentric Castleman's disease. Other names for the Rhadinovirus genus include Rhadinoviridae...

 that is believed to be responsible for causing hartebeest

Hartebeest

The hartebeest is a grassland antelope found in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. It is one of the three species classified in the genus Alcelaphus....

 infections of malignant catarrhal fever.

Clinical Definition

Distantly related to human herpes, a virus of this type is composed of a series of double strand sequences of up to 100 gene

Gene

A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...

 segments, aligned along a long chromosome

Chromosome

A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions.Chromosomes...

 surrounded by terminal DNA

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...

 segments. The effect of the virus is to cause nasal discharge, a high fever, filmed over eyes, failures of the lymphatic system

Lymphatic system

The lymphoid system is the part of the immune system comprising a network of conduits called lymphatic vessels that carry a clear fluid called lymph unidirectionally toward the heart. Lymphoid tissue is found in many organs, particularly the lymph nodes, and in the lymphoid follicles associated...

, inflammation of various mucus membranes, and occasionally necrosis

Necrosis

Necrosis is the premature death of cells in living tissue. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, toxins, or trauma. This is in contrast to apoptosis, which is a naturally occurring cause of cellular death...

 of the upper digestive

Digestive

Digestive may refer to:*Digestion, biological process of metabolism*Digestive biscuit, a British semi-sweet biscuit*Digestif, small beverage at the end of a meal...

 system. Very advanced cases show signs of decay of the nervous system

Nervous system

The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...

. Occasionally, lesions, arthritis

Arthritis

Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....

, and digestive problems such as diarrhea have been observed.

Etiology

The agent of MCF in hartebeests, it is related to other variants that strike down antelopes. It was isolated in 1960 and is believed to be carried as reservoirs by goats, sheep, and other domestic animals. There are variants that have affected deer

Deer

Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...

, gnu

GNU

GNU is a Unix-like computer operating system developed by the GNU project, ultimately aiming to be a "complete Unix-compatible software system"...

, and other captive species in zoos around the world.

Range

All species of African wildebeest

Wildebeest

The wildebeest , also called the gnu is an antelope of the genus Connochaetes. It is a hooved mammal...

 and hartbeest can be infected or at least carry this virus.
There is no direct evidence

Direct evidence

Direct evidence supports the truth of an assertion directly, i.e., without an intervening inference...

 that other African wild variants like addax can be hosts, but research is ongoing . The alcelaphine antelope affecting form is primarily found in Africa, in the natural habitat of wildebeest, hartebeest, and topi . It has also occurred in zoos and wild animal

Wildlife

Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....

 parks that also kept wildebeest. The increasing popularity in North America of wild animal parks may spread its range further.

Transmission, clinical effects, and morbidity

Alcelaphine herpesvirus 2 is primarily transmitted by nasal emissions, by contact with water, flood, feces, or close contact. It can be destroyed by prolonged exposure to sunlight, but has a very long incubation period

Incubation period

Incubation period is the time elapsed between exposure to a pathogenic organism, a chemical or radiation, and when symptoms and signs are first apparent...

 and thus may have a long period of time to infect other animals. There are three forms usually seen. The first a nasal form with fever, nasal inflammation and digestive problems that is very mild and only lasts a few days. The second is a more severe form that involves fever, diarrhea, heavy nasal discharge, and lymph system failure, with a morbidity of 28 percent. The so-called "head and eye" form is the most lethal and serious form, which results in all known effects and central nervous system

Central nervous system

The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...

 damage, predated by nervous shakes and eventually muscular failure. Morbidity in some cases is as high as 90 percent.

Vaccination

As the primary infected strains of animals are wild and free range

Free range

thumb|250px|Free-range chickens being fed outdoors.Free range is a term which outside of the United States denotes a method of farming husbandry where the animals are allowed to roam freely instead of being contained in any manner. In the United States, USDA regulations apply only to poultry and...

 animals, vaccination

Vaccination

Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...

programs have been largely ineffective.