Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Cows: Signs and Control
- See your vet immediately. Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, or CBPP, is a highly contagious bacterial lung and pleural disease of cattle caused by *Mycoplasma mycoides* subsp. *mycoides*.
- Common signs include fever, cough, nasal discharge, painful or rapid breathing, reduced appetite, weight loss, and sudden drop in condition. Calves may show swollen joints and lameness more than obvious respiratory signs.
- CBPP is considered a foreign animal disease in the United States and has not been found here since 1892, so any suspicion needs urgent veterinary and animal health reporting.
- Diagnosis usually requires herd history, physical exam, laboratory testing, and sometimes necropsy samples because signs can overlap with other serious cattle respiratory diseases.
- Typical immediate veterinary workup and regulatory response costs can range from about $300-$1,500+ per animal for exam, sampling, testing, and isolation logistics, with herd-level outbreak control costs often much higher.
What Is Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Cows?
Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, usually called CBPP, is a severe contagious respiratory disease of cattle caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides. It mainly attacks the lungs and the pleura, the thin membranes lining the chest cavity. That is why affected cattle can look painful when they breathe, stand apart from the herd, and lose condition quickly.
This disease matters because it can spread through close contact when infected cattle cough out droplets that other cattle inhale. Some animals become subclinical or chronic carriers, which means they may look partly recovered but can still help spread infection within a herd. That makes early recognition and herd-level control especially important.
For U.S. producers, there is another key point: CBPP is a foreign animal disease and is not considered present in the United States. If your herd has signs that could fit CBPP, your vet should be contacted right away so they can help rule out more common causes and involve animal health officials if needed.
Symptoms of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Cows
- Fever
- Frequent dry or painful cough
- Rapid, shallow, or labored breathing
- Pain with breathing or grunting on exhalation
- Nasal discharge
- Loss of appetite and reduced rumination
- Weight loss and sudden drop in body condition
- Standing apart with head extended, elbows turned out, or back arched
- Weakness or sudden death in severe cases
- Swollen joints and lameness in young calves
When to worry: right away. Any cow with severe respiratory distress, painful breathing, fever plus cough, or a cluster of similar cases in the herd needs urgent veterinary attention. Because CBPP can resemble other serious respiratory diseases, your vet may advise immediate isolation, movement restriction, and official reporting while testing is arranged.
What Causes Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Cows?
CBPP is caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides. Unlike many common bacteria, mycoplasmas do not have a normal cell wall, which affects how the disease behaves and which antibiotics may or may not help. The organism primarily spreads from cow to cow through inhaled respiratory droplets during close contact.
Spread is most likely when infected cattle are mixed with susceptible cattle during transport, marketing, communal grazing, or herd introductions. One challenge is that not every infected animal looks obviously sick. Some cattle develop subacute disease or become chronic carriers after the initial illness, which can keep infection circulating.
The organism does not survive well for long periods in the environment, so direct animal contact is the main concern rather than long-term contamination of buildings or equipment. Even so, cleaning, disinfection, and strict biosecurity still matter because they support overall outbreak control and reduce confusion with other infectious respiratory diseases.
How Is Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Cows Diagnosed?
CBPP cannot be confirmed by signs alone. Your vet will start with a herd history, recent animal movement history, physical exam findings, and the pattern of illness in the group. Because coughing, fever, and breathing trouble can also happen with other cattle respiratory diseases, laboratory confirmation is important.
Testing may include samples such as nasal swabs, pleural fluid, lung washings, or tissues collected at necropsy. Depending on the situation, laboratories may use culture, PCR, serology, or a combination of methods. Slaughter surveillance and postmortem findings can also help identify cases, especially when chronic lung lesions are present.
If CBPP is suspected in the United States, your vet should treat it as an urgent reportable concern. That usually means isolating affected animals, pausing movement of exposed cattle until guidance is given, and coordinating with state or federal animal health officials while confirmatory testing is performed.
Treatment Options for Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Cows
Spectrum of Care means you have options. Here are treatment tiers at different price points.
Budget-Conscious Care
- Immediate call to your vet
- Isolation of sick or suspect cattle
- Basic on-farm exam and temperature checks
- Movement stop for exposed animals until your vet advises next steps
- Targeted sample collection for rule-out testing
- Supportive nursing care as directed by your vet
Recommended Standard Treatment
- Urgent veterinary assessment
- Diagnostic sampling submitted to an approved laboratory
- Strict isolation and biosecurity plan
- Herd investigation and tracing of recent animal movements
- Supportive care decisions guided by your vet
- Coordination with state or federal animal health officials if CBPP is suspected
Advanced / Critical Care
- Full regulatory response for a foreign animal disease investigation
- Expanded laboratory testing and necropsy support
- Quarantine, tracing, and official movement restrictions
- Intensive herd surveillance and repeated testing
- Depopulation or stamping-out measures if ordered by animal health authorities
- Cleaning, disinfection, and monitored repopulation planning
Cost estimates as of 2026-03. Actual costs vary by location, clinic, and individual case.
Questions to Ask Your Vet About Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Cows
Bring these questions to your vet appointment to get the most out of your visit.
- Which signs in this cow or herd make you concerned about CBPP versus other respiratory diseases?
- Does this situation need immediate reporting to state or federal animal health officials?
- Which animals should be isolated right now, and how should we handle chores to reduce spread?
- What samples do you want to collect, and how long will results likely take?
- Should we stop all cattle movement on and off the farm until testing is complete?
- What other diseases are on your differential list, and how will testing separate them?
- If this is not CBPP, what treatment options fit this herd's goals and budget?
- What cleaning, disinfection, and quarantine steps do you recommend for new or returning cattle?
How to Prevent Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Cows
In countries free of CBPP, prevention focuses on biosecurity, import controls, and rapid recognition of suspect cases. Work with your vet on a plan for quarantining newly purchased, returning, or imported cattle before they join the herd. Careful review of health records, source herd history, and recent transport exposure can lower risk.
Daily observation matters. Cattle with fever, cough, painful breathing, or sudden loss of condition should be separated promptly and examined by your vet. If several animals develop similar signs, treat that as a herd emergency until proven otherwise. Early detection is one of the most important tools for limiting spread.
If CBPP is suspected, do not move animals unless animal health officials direct you to do so. In disease-free regions, control usually relies on early detection, movement control, and stamping-out policies rather than routine treatment. In endemic regions, vaccination may be part of control programs, but vaccine use depends on local regulations and disease status.
Good sanitation still supports prevention. The CBPP organism does not persist well in the environment, but cleaning and disinfection of equipment, trailers, and handling areas can reduce confusion with other infectious diseases and strengthen overall herd health protocols.