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Aujeszky’s Disease (Pseudorabies)

byDr. Irtwange Nguwasen Blessing -
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The Sneaky “Not-Really-Rabies” Villain Who Loves Drama

Picture this:
A cold fog rolls across a farm at midnight. Pigs snort nervously. Barn cats stand on high alert like tiny furry security guards. Even the chickens - normally asleep on their wooden thrones, shuffle uneasily.

Something is wrong.

A shadowy villain tiptoes through the farm like a mischievous ghost. Not the kind with rattling chains… the microscopic kind.

And by sunrise?

Every creature is whispering the same thing:

“Something is haunting the pigs…”

Welcome to the story of Aujeszky’s Disease - also known as Pseudorabies, the drama king of the barnyard.

What It Is

Microscopic Image of Aujeszky’s Disease (Pseudorabies) Virus in Tissue Sample

Aujeszky’s disease is caused by a virus - specifically the Suid herpesvirus 1 (SuHV-1).

If the word “herpesvirus” makes your eyebrows jump, relax. This one has nothing to do with human cold sores. Herpesviruses are just a big family, and this particular cousin is obsessed with pigs.

Think of it as:

A pig-loving herpesvirus that occasionally tries (and mostly fails) to flirt with other animals.

Rare human cases have been suspected, but confirmed infections are extremely, extremely unusual.

What It Does and Why Pet Parents Should Care

In Animals

This virus is dramatic.

In pigs, it can cause:

  • Fever
  • Coughing
  • Poor coordination
  • Stillbirths in pregnant sows
  • Nervous-system chaos
  • Sudden death in piglets

In other animals (like dogs, cats, cattle, goats), it is much worse and often fatal.

Dogs and cats, if they catch it, show:

  • Intense itching (like “dig-a-hole-in-your-own-side” itching)
  • Drooling
  • Aggression or disorientation
  • Rapid progression to death

In Humans

This is where things get mysterious.

Real, confirmed human infections are extremely rare, and for decades scientists argued whether humans could even get sick at all.
Recently, a few cases - mostly people in very close contact with infected pigs, have been investigated.

Symptoms in suspicious human cases included:

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Encephalitis-like signs

But again - VERY rare and not a threat to the general public.

Why Pet Parents Should Care

Because if you have:

  • A dog who roams near farms
  • A cat who hunts rodents
  • A lifestyle around pigs or livestock

…this virus is one you want to know by name.

Discovery: The Detective Story Begins (1902, Hungary)

Aladár Aujeszky – Hungarian Veterinarian and Discoverer of Aujeszky’s Disease

Cast your mind back to Hungary, early 1900s.
Horse carts. Lamp-lit streets. Farmers in wool coats.

A veterinarian named Aladár Aujeszky starts noticing something strange:

Farm dogs and cattle are scratching themselves raw, acting like they’re possessed, and dying quickly after hanging around infected pigs.

It was bizarre.
It was brutal.
It made zero sense.

So Aujeszky did what any good detective-vet would do:

He grabbed his coat, his notebook, and went full Sherlock Holmes.

It took investigation, microscopic sleuthing, and patience, but eventually he isolated the culprit - a virus previously unknown to science.

How It Got Its Name

The disease is named after the Hungarian vet Aujeszky who cracked the case in 1902.

And “pseudorabies”?
That came later, because the symptoms in dogs looked suspiciously like rabies ( furious itching, neurological symptoms ), but it was NOT actual rabies.

So:

Aujeszky = the detective
Pseudorabies = the drama

Fun tidbit: Scientists originally thought it might be “a strange form of rabies” because the animals acted similarly. Spoiler: the virus just liked cosplaying.

How It Spreads

Anthropomorphised cartoon of Aujeszky’s Disease virus attacking pig host – Vet Vortex educational art

The virus travels like a sneaky gossip:

Pig → Pig

Pig → Other Animals

  • Contact
  • Eating infected raw meat (very dangerous for dogs/cats!)
  • Rodents carrying the virus

Animal → Human

Extremely rare, and usually involves:

  • Very close, regular exposure
  • Handling infected tissues or secretions

Human → Human

No evidence. The virus doesn’t care enough about humans to start a trend.

Death Toll and Impact

In pigs:
Large outbreaks have caused major economic losses, especially before modern vaccination.

In dogs, cats, cattle, and goats:
The disease is usually fatal.

In humans:
Only suspected or very rare reported cases, but still taken seriously.

Political and Social Atmosphere

During the mid-20th century, many countries faced rising livestock losses.
Governments tightened biosecurity, farmers blamed rodents, and trade partners eyed each other suspiciously over pork exports.

Unlike diseases such as COVID-19, there was minimal global stigma toward people - this one mostly sparked:

  • Trade debates
  • Agricultural policy changes
  • Concerns about farm hygiene

No ethnic or racial groups were targeted.
The “blame” largely circled around:

  • Rodents
  • Poor farm sanitation
  • Unregulated pig movement

Compared to modern pandemics, the politics of pseudorabies were mild, mostly economic rather than social.

Actions Taken

Countries responded with:

The EU and the US have made huge progress.
Many regions are now officially free of pseudorabies in commercial pigs, though it persists in wild boar.

Prevention Tips for Pet Parents

A. For Pet Parents

  • Don’t feed raw pork to dogs or cats (major risk).
  • Keep pets away from wild boar or farm pig areas.
  • If you live near a pig farm, supervise curious pets.
  • Never let pets snack on dead wildlife (ew + dangerous).

B. For Vets and Health Pros

Behind the scenes, we handle:

Treatment and Prognosis

Animals

There is no cure for infected dogs, cats, cattle, or goats - sadly, it’s almost always fatal.

Pigs fare better:

  • Supportive care
  • Vaccination to prevent further spread
  • Strict farm controls

Diagnosis involves:

  • PCR testing
  • Virus isolation
  • Tissue sampling in livestock

Humans

For rare suspected human cases, treatment focuses on:

  • Supportive hospital care
  • Managing inflammation
  • Antiviral attempts

Prognosis varies but infections are still under study.

Fun Tidbits

1. The disease was once called “mad itch” because animals would scratch themselves into a frenzy.
2. Dogs infected with pseudorabies sometimes try to chew or bite at walls, floors, or their own limbs because of extreme nerve irritation.
3. Despite the name, pseudorabies has nothing to do with rabies - it’s just the virus being dramatic and stealing costumes from the rabies wardrobe.

Your Turn

And that’s our villain for today unmasked.

The goal isn’t to make you scared of your animals - it’s to make you smarter about the tiny troublemakers that share their world.

If this episode in The Vet Vortex helped you understand things a little better:

  • Save this post for later
  • Share it with another pet parent or farmer who needs to see it
  • Drop your questions or “this happened on my farm…” stories in the comments

And remember:
This blog is for education. If your pet is acting weird, in pain, or “not themselves,” your next step isn’t another scroll - it’s your vet’s clinic.

Healthy humans. Healthy animals. Less drama from the germs.

Untill next time, stay curious, stay informed and stay vortexy.


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