Epidemiology of Ephemeral Fever of Cattle in Australia 1975?1981

Abstract

Ephemeral fever occurred each year in Australia between 1975 and 1981. Since the 1974-75 epidemic, ephemeral fever outbreaks have changed markedly in character and pattern of spread from the previous pattern of spaced explosive epidemics. The outbreaks between 1975 and 1981 were typified by slower-moving epidemics with a general north-south sequential pattern in the eastern States of Queensland and New South Wales. The summer months of January to March were peak months for reports of the disease and quiescence occurred between May and August. Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the southern part of Western Australia were free of clinical and subclinical infection with bovine ephemeral fever virius between 1975 and 1981.