cause caprine arthritis encephalitis in goats

Kids under six months of age are extremely difficult to test accurately for CAE, so most laboratories recommend waiting until the offspring are eight months to one year old.ĬAE testing is done on blood samples drawn from suspect goats either by a veterinarian or by the goat producer. Further, a dam who has given birth to twins can produce one offspring which tests positive and another that tests negative. If the goat has produced antibodies, it has the virus, will test positive, and will shed it to other herd members.Ĭomplicating the matter even more, it is also possible to have negative kids out of a positive dam. A goat infected with CAE but who has not produced antibodies will test negative but still can shed the virus and infect other goats. Since not all CAE-infected goats have produced antibodies, 'false negatives' are possible. The virus is directly connected to the production of white blood cells, so any body secretions which contain these cells are potential sources of infection for other members of the herd.Īll tests currently available evaluate antibodies. and bottle-raise the kids on either pasteurized milk or milk replacer. In order to maintain CAE-free herds, dairy-goat breeders often take kids from the dam at the moment of birth. The most direct infection route is from mother to kid through infected colostrum, body fluids, and milk. With the appearance of the Boer goat into the United States and the cross-breeding frenzy which has occurred as breeders try to create an improved slaughter animal, CAE is showing up in many breeds in which it had not previously been found to exist. However, CAE is not unique to dairy goats, although it has been most commonly associated with dairy breeds in the past. Researchers at Washington State University found that 80% of the dairy goats which they tested carried the virus, while a smaller percentage displayed clinical (visible) symptoms of the disease. Unlike Caseous Lymphadinitis (CL), another infectious disease found in some goats, CAE is not contagious to human beings. While CAE is restricted to goats (caprines), other ruminants have their own species' versions of retro-viruses.

The presence of antibodies indicates infection but not immunity to the disease. Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis is a retro-virus in other words, antibodies created by the CAE-positive goat are not effective in attacking the virus. Progressive crippling arthritis is displayed in older adults. Hard udders, sometimes without any milk at all, and fatal pneumonia are symptomatic of CAE. Smooth knee pads can be an indication of CAE infection. Sitting down is painful, so they don't wear the hair off their knees. Encephalitic seizures usually kill infected kids quickly.Īdults with visible signs of CAE often have over-sized knobby knees that are swollen in appearance. The disease is more often seen in adult goats. Goats can be infected with CAE their entire lives and never display visible symptoms. The elusive nature of CAE complicates the goat raiser's ability to control the disease. CAPRINE ARTHRITIC ENCEPHALITIS - THE SILENT KILLERĬaprine Arthritic Encephalitis (CAE), discovered by researchers at Washington State University over 20 years ago, is a viral infection in goats which can cause encephalitis in kids and chronic joint disease in adults.

Cause caprine arthritis encephalitis in goats