Partial gene sequencing for the bovine coronavirus at the World Genebank is available for many countries, which are distributed unevenly in five continents, but so far, no sequencing of strains has been recorded in Iran. One hundred ninety‐four stool samples from calves with diarrhoea less than one‐month old were collected from five different geographical regions of country in order to detect coronavirus and characterize it if coronavirus was found. Samples were screened for the presence of BCoV by using a commercially available ELISA kit. Furthermore, RT‐PCR was carried out on positive samples for confirmation of the presence of N and S specific genes. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis was carried out following RT‐PCR tests. 7.2% of samples, were positive for BCoV and all stool samples from the South‐West, Northeast and West regions of Iran were negative. The results showed that all the strains of coronavirus identified in Iran were completely in independent clusters and that they did not stand in the same cluster as any of the strains identified in other parts of the world. The strains from Iran were quite different from strains in other parts of the world but from the point of similarity these viruses showed some similarities to the European strains, such as those found in France, Croatia, Denmark and Sweden.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a contagious viral disease of ruminant animals. Eradication of disease in western countries is by slaughter of infected and in contact animals but this is not possible in endemic countries. There is no standard treatment for FMD in endemic countries, but anti-inflammatory drugs and mild disinfectant and protective dressing to inflamed areas to prevent secondary infection is recommended. A randomised controlled clinical trial of a homeopathic preparation of Tarentula cubensis (Theranekron®) was conducted during an outbreak of FMD in cattle in Iran. A single subcutaneous injection of Theranekron® was used as sole treatment in 50 infected animals (treatment group). The control group comprised 15 infected animals treated with standard medication including: daily injection of flunixin meglumine and oxytetracycline and daily dressing of lesions with 4% sodium carbonate. Systemic and local signs were recorded over 14 days. Rectal temperature in treatment group subsided to normal range within 1 day of homeopathic treatment, and was significantly lower in test group than in control group on several successive days (P < 0.05). Healing of inflamed mucosal areas and appetite score of the treatment was significantly better than control during first 3 days of treatment (P < 0.05). It appears that Theranekron® is effective for treatment of systemic and local signs of FMD-infected cattle. Further research is justified.

Tetanus is an acute, often fatal, infectious neuromuscular disease in all farmed mammals caused by Clostridium tetani. The disease is sporadic but outbreaks of tetanus have been described, as a result of wound contaminated with spores of C. tetani, which sporulates to the vegetative form and produce toxins. The present study reports an outbreak of tetanus in a sheep flock, shortly after ear tagging. Three sheep from a large flock (with a population of 1000 sheep) were presented with signs of: convulsion, limb stiffness, incoordination and trismus (“lock jaw”). There were wounds and scabs in most livestock where ear tags had been attached 1 week prior. Clinical examination revealed tachycardia, dyspnoea with dilated nostrils, mild fever, erected ear pinnae, teeth grinding, mild bloat, muscles rigidity, prolapse of third eyelid and anxiety. According to the history stated by the owner, the case fatality rate of the disease from the beginning was 50% during the outbreak. Necropsy did not reveal any significant finding. Gram‐positive bacilli with terminal spores representing C. tetani were isolated in anaerobic cultures which were taken from ear wounds. Procaine penicillin G was administrated at 20 000 IU/kg BW for 5 days, but antiglobulin was not available to treat affected animals. Mortality significantly declined one day after onset of treatment. In this report, the organism was probably introduced by contaminated instruments which were used for ear tagging of sheep. Wound exudation and adhesion following rubbing, created a favourable anaerobic condition for the spores to germinate with production of neurotoxin. Vaccination can protect animals against tetanus, but it does not preclude the need to apply standard hygienic principles when performing management procedures causing wounds. In pasture holding system, many pathogens are present in environment, so tetanus should be considered important in farm animals, because of its high fatality rate and the long course of convalescence.

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an arthropodborne Orbivirus that belongs to the Reoviridae family. Bluetongue is one of the most important diseases of sheep. A flock of 300 Lacon sheep just arrived from France, located in the countryside of Qazvin city, Iran, was examined, in August 2022. In history taking and clinical examination, submandibular oedema (216/300, 72%), fever (216/300, 72%), inappetence (216/300, 72%), stomatitis (216/300, 72%), nasal discharge (90/300, 30%) and lameness (30/300, 10%) were recorded. Foot‐and‐mouth disease, bluetongue (BT), contagious ecthyma and peste des petits ruminants were the most important differential diagnosis with reference to clinical signs. Tongue scraping samples from four clinically affected sheep were sent to the laboratory for PCR tests and, in all of them, BTV was detected. The affected flock had a history of vaccination with an attenuated live vaccine in the previous 4 months. The morbidity rate, mortality rate and case fatality rate were 72% (216/300), 7% (21/300) and 9.7% (21/216), respectively. This report is the first documented clinical form of BT in sheep from Iran.