COITAL EXANTHEMA 391 



COITAL EXANTHEMA. 



Eeuptive Venereal Disease. Genital Horsepox. 



Definition. — Coital exanthema is a benign, acute, contagious 

 disease of the external genital organs of cattle, horses, sheep 

 and swine. It is characterized by a vesicular eruption which 

 is transmitted from animal to animal by the act of coitus. 



Occurrence. — ^The disease is very common in horses and 

 cattle, outbreaks occurring during the spring and summer. 

 It is sometimes confused with variola with which it has prob- 

 ably no connection. While the disease is benign it interferes 

 with breeding, lactation in cows, and by affecting a number 

 . of animals in a district, attains economic importance. It is 

 quite common in the United States. 



Etiology. — ^The cause of the disease is not yet known. The 

 virus seems to be contained in the lymph of the vesicle or the 

 pus of the pustule or ulcer from which it may be transmitted 

 by artificial inoculation. 



Natural Infection. — Coital exanthema is nearly always 

 transmitted by coition whereby the male animal infects the 

 female and vice versa. The disease is spread usually by an 

 infected stallion or bull. It is claimed that the male may 

 transmit the disease without himself becoming infected in 

 that the infectious secretions from a diseased female adhere 

 to the penis and are lodged in the vulva or vagina of the 

 female served by him soon after. This naturally would only 

 apply where the service was performed within an hour or 

 two following copulation with an infected female. 



The disease once in a while occurs in females in advanced 

 pregnancy, also in animals which have not been bred. This 

 would indicate that occasionally intermediary agents, such as 

 contaminated stable litter, utensils, sponges, etc., may carry 

 infection. 



Cattle seem to be more susceptible than horses; the disease 

 is less commonly seen in sheep, goats, and swine. One attack 

 produces a transient immunity, although cases are recorded 

 where one and the same animal has been attacked repeatedly. 



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