Clinico-pathological observations on naturally occurring contagious ecthyma in lambs in Saudi Arabia.

Typical lesions of contagious ecthyma were diagnosed in lambs four months old and infection has been confirmed by viral isolation and identification. The lambs had lower total serum protein values, haemoglobin concentration, erythrocyte counts and packed cell volume, but higher blood leukocyte counts and increased serum transaminase activity when compared to apparently healthy animals. The disease is believed to be transmitted from newly introduced goats which showed evidence of infection.