Idiopathic lingual fossa ulcer in cattle in Iran

Disease agents that principally target the tongue are relatively rare. It seems that type of food and roughage play an important role to predispose the animals to lingual ulcers. During a period of four years different aspects of cattle lingual fossa ulcer were studied in a semi-industrial dairy farm in Tehran. The affected animals showed various stages of ulcer formation in their lingual fossa. Histopathological examination revealed parakeratotic hyperkeratosis, spongiosis and hydropic degeneration of the epithelial lining. There were also coagulative necroses associated with heavy infiltration of neutrophils in muscle fibers of the tongues. Some cases showed granulomatous reaction with the proliferation of connective tissue. Progressive lingual ulcers were induced in three calves following close exposure to the affected animals. Based on these findings, the disease was diagnosed as idiopathic contagious lingual fossa ulcer in cattle.