In Africa MCFV is endemic as a latent infection of wildebeest which show few symptoms but their placentae are believed to infect cattle. Cattle have cell-associated infection of their lymphocytes. They always die but do not transfer infection. Necrotising lesions in the upper respiratory tract and eye (snotsieke in Afrikaans) are accompanied by widespread lymphocyte proliferation of all lymph nodes (this does not occur in IBR). No vaccine.

In the U.K. cases have ben reported in cattle and there is slim evidence that sheep are the source of a second MCFV.