356 Coital Exanthema. 



3. Coital Exanthema. Exanthema vesiculosum coitale. 



{Vesicular exanthema; Bldsclienaussclilag [German']; Exan- 

 theme coital [Freiich].) 



Coital exantliema is a disease of cattle and horses, more 

 rarely of sheep and hogs, characterized by vesicular exanthema 

 of the external genital organs. It is usually transmitted from 

 animal to animal during the act of coitus, and usually termi- 

 nates in complete recovery. The cause of the disease is at 

 present unknown. 



Occurrence. The disease occurs more frequently among 

 cattle than in horses. It is observed annually, especially in 

 spring and summer, in Germany, Austria and Hungary, while 

 in Denmark and on the Scandinavian peninsula it also appears 

 sometimes. However it is probable that it is known also in 

 other countries (in France it is considered identical with pox). 

 Considerable losses are sustained in extensive outbreaks of the 

 disease, because of the diminished milk secretion in cows, the 

 inability of draught animals to work, and from the prevention 

 of impregnation, and consequently the deferring of the lacta- 

 tion period in cows. 



In Germany in 1908, 206 horses and 4680 cattle were affected in 1194 town- 

 ships, the disease occurring principally in Wiirttemberg, Prussia, Bavaria and Baden. 

 In Austria during tlie period 1891-1900, on an average 26 stallions, 168 mares, 

 84 bulls, and 510 cows were affected; the number of the affected townships in 1908 

 reached 51, and in these 159 premises were infected. In Hungary between 1897 

 and 1908 the affected townships increased from 43 to 278, the number of affected 

 horses from 81 to 2780, of cattle from 134 to 1662. The disease occurs most frequently 

 on the right banks of the Danube, and in the territory lying between the Danube 

 and Theiss rivers. In other countries the disease is not recorded officially. 



Etiology. The virus, which is unknown at present, is con- 

 tained in the serous or purulent contents of the vesicles, and 

 in the secretion of the ulcers, and is easily transmitted with 

 these fluids from the affected to healthy animals. 



The infection occurs mostly during copulation, in which 

 male animals may infect females and vice versa; in large herds 

 however the disease is transmitted mainly by the males. 

 Stallions or bulls may transmit it without themselves being 

 affected, after covering an affected mare or cow, and trans- 

 mitting the infectious secretion with tlie penis to the genitals 

 of a healthy female. This method of infection is however 

 only observed when male animals repeat the copulation inside 

 of a few hours. The spread of the disease is prolnibly 

 also facilitated by the fact that affected females show in the 

 early stages of the disease symptoms resembling the period 

 of oestrum, and consequently are taken to the male. 



In some cases the disease may also occur in advanced stages 

 of pregnancy, or in animals which have not copulated, among 

 which it sometimes may spread extensively (Fenner observed 

 the disease in the course of one year among 746 heifers), and 



