Infection of sheep and goats with bovid herpesvirus 2

Sheep and goats were shown to be susceptible to experimental infection with bovid herpesvirus 2 (BHV2), administered by either the intradermal or intravenous route. Lesions developing in sheep following intradermal inoculation of virus were similar to those in cattle inoculated intradermally, whereas the lesions in goats resolved without ulceration or scabbing. Disseminated circumscribed skin lesions developed in sheep and goats given BHV2 by the intravenous route. These lesions resolved in four to eight days without significant effect on the skin. BHV2 was isolated from skin lesions of sheep, goats and cattle that were infected intravenously, from sheep and cattle infected intradermally and from the leucocytes of the three species following intravenous inoculation of virus. Latent infection of sheep and goats was demonstrated following corticosteroid treatment 60 days after infection.     

绵羊痘病毒山东流行株的分离鉴定与T4肽基因序列分析

从山东东营疑似绵羊痘病羊的肺脏组织中分离到1株病毒。取疑似绵羊痘病羊组织病料研磨、冻融、离心后分别接种11日龄SPF鸡胚绒毛尿囊膜和牛睾丸继代细胞,鸡胚接种部位出现明显的痘斑;牛睾丸细胞出现聚集、变圆等明显的细胞病变。利用1对绵羊痘病毒T4肽基因特异性引物进行了PCR扩增,获得与预期大小一致的约300 bp的片段。将所得序列与GenBank收录的绵羊痘病毒、山羊痘病毒等毒株相关序列进行比较分析。结果表明,该分离株与国外其他绵羊痘病毒株具有较高的同源性,达97.4%～99.3%;与山羊痘病毒株同源性为96.4%。通过试验初步证明所分离的病毒为绵羊痘病毒,并将该毒株命名为绵羊痘病毒DY株。     

小尾寒羊绵羊痘病例的诊断

旨在对甘肃某羊场小尾寒羊疑似绵羊痘进行确诊,并深入探讨其病理变化特点。对临诊疑似患绵羊痘的小尾寒羊进行了羊痘间接ELISA抗体检测和PCR检测确诊,并对6只病羊进行病理剖检、病理组织学和超微结构研究。结果如下：羊痘间接ELISA抗体检测显示6例病羊样品均为阳性;同时,对2例病羊样品进行PCR检测,均扩增出绵羊痘病毒（SPV）585 bp的目的基因片段,表明本次小尾寒羊所患疫病为绵羊痘。病理剖检显示,病羊皮肤无毛或少毛处充血,局部有红斑和坏死,尾部常有感染化脓形成溃疡;消化道黏膜,尤其舌和瘤胃黏膜有大小不等痘疹与坏死病灶,局部甚至形成糜烂或溃疡。肺膈叶以及肝、脾等常有痘疹和坏死病灶。病理组织学观察显示,肺痘疹病灶主要呈现渗出-增生结节和坏死-增生结节变化,病灶内血管、细支气管等周围常有大量绵羊痘细胞,胞质内有嗜酸性包涵体;病变消化道黏膜局部,上皮细胞程度不等增生、水泡变性,固有层及黏膜下层充血、水肿,有大量绵羊痘细胞,其细胞质内包涵体明显。肝、脾、肾也有程度不等坏死-增生结节变化。肺超微结构观察显示,肺泡上皮细胞肿大,细胞核浓缩、染色质聚集,线粒体程度不等肿胀、嵴断裂、空泡化,可见细胞质内包涵体。研究证明,除局部皮肤病变外,消化道黏膜和肺等实质器官的痘疹病变是患绵羊痘小尾寒羊具代表性的病理变化,尤其痘疹病灶中大量绵羊痘细胞的出现具有证病性意义。     

Clinical, virological and serological response of the West African dwarf sheep to experimental infection with different strains of Rift Valley fever virus.

West African dwarf sheep were inoculated with three different strains of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). Using infective mouse serum as the source of virus classical RVFV disease characterised by sudden onset, a sharp but transient febrile response, viraemia, abortions and the development of specific RVFV antibodies in surviving animals was observed. The severity of clinical response was, however, dependent on the strain of virus used, with animals inoculated with Smithburn's neuroadapted strain showing a milder response than those inoculated with either the Nigerian or Lunyo strain. The inoculation of sheep with RVFV infective mouse brain material of the three different strains resulted in a mild febrile response with low level viraemia. Immune sera from sheep inoculated with both the Nigerian and Smithburn's neurotropic strains did not neutralise the Lunyo virus strain in a mouse intracerebral neutralisation test; the reverse, however, was not the case. The findings indicate that the West African dwarf sheep is highly susceptible to RVFV infection and that previous reports of only a mild clinical response following inoculation with the Nigerian strain were due to infective mouse brain rather than infective mouse serum.     

Virulence of bluetongue virus for British sheep

A South African isolate of bluetongue virus type 3 was inoculated intradermally into three different breeds of British sheep under conditions designed to test its virulence in animals under stress. All animals inoculated developed a pyrexia and viraemia followed by clinical evidence of bluetongue disease. Marked alterations in serum enzyme levels, in particular of creatine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase and aldolase occurred in the more severely affected animals. Nine out of the 12 inoculated animals subsequently died. No major differences in response could be detected in the different breeds of sheep nor in the stressed compared with the unstressed groups. The virulence of this bluetongue virus isolate was thereby confirmed and its potential risk to the British sheep industry. Consequently, stringent import regulations must be maintained to prevent its entry into Britain.     

鸡痘病毒弱毒疫苗株在鸡组织内的分布、消长规律及毒性试验

通过两侧翅内侧皮肤无血管处刺种和滴鼻、点眼等途径给10日龄商品蛋公鸡接种鸡痘病毒（FPV）弱毒疫苗株，利用PCR的方法检测其在鸡体内的分布与消长规律并对其毒性进行了研究。刺种组：接种后6h在刺种部位皮肤即可检测到病毒DNA；接种后1d，皮肤、肺、脑PCR检测阳性；7d，在皮肤、肺、脑，心、脾、肾、法氏囊均可检测到病毒DNA，肝为疑似；10、15d，肝为阳性；21d，脾、法氏囊PCR检测为阴性，肝为疑似；28d，除刺种部位皮肤外所有内脏器官中均未检测到病毒DNA，但刺种部位皮肤一直到接种后35d仍可检测到病毒DNA。而对照组在整个试验期间PCR检测均为阴性。滴鼻点眼组：基本规律与刺种组相同。接种后3h，在肺部即可检测到病毒DNA；6h，在肺和脑部PCR检测成阳性，法氏囊为疑似；1d，在肺、脑、心、脾、肾、法氏囊均可检测到病毒DNA，肝为疑似；21d，肺、肾、法氏囊、脑均为阳性。其中脑一直持续到接种后28d。而对照组在整个试验期间PCR检测均为阴性。毒性试验表明，FPV弱毒疫苗株虽使用安全但通过翅内侧皮肤无血管处大量刺种存在导致全身皮肤感染出痘的危险。     

Molecular detection of avian pox virus from nodular skin and mucosal fibrinonecrotic lesions of Iranian backyard poultry

In recent years, some outbreaks of skin lesions suspected to be avian pox were observed in the backyard poultry in different parts of western areas in Iran. Consequently, 328 backyard poultries with suspected signs of avian pox virus infection were sampled. All birds showed nodular lesions on unfeathered head skin and/or fibronecrotic lesions on mucus membrane of the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract. For histopathological analysis, the sections of tissue samples from cutaneous lesions of examined birds were stained with H&E method. For PCR, after DNA extraction a 578-bp fragment of avian pox virus from 4b core protein gene was amplified. Results showed 217 and 265 out of 328 (66.1 and 80.7 %, respectively) samples were positive for avian pox virus on histopathological and PCR examination, respectively. In this study, the samples that had intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies on pathologic examination were PCR positive. This study revealed that PCR is a valuable tool for identification of an avian pox virus and that the frequency of pox infection in backyard poultry in western areas of Iran is high.     

山羊痘病毒粒子的电子显微镜观察

本研究室2003年以来对山羊痘病毒感染多种细胞进行了透射电镜观察。在感染的皮肤和黏膜上皮细胞浆中观察到大量不同成熟阶段的典型山羊痘病毒粒子，病毒粒子也见于巨噬细胞、成纤维细胞、血管内皮细胞胞浆内，甚至少量散在血管腔中。用山羊痘病毒分离物感染鸡胚绒毛尿囊膜形成痘斑，其上皮细胞和成纤维细胞中也可见成熟和不成熟的病毒粒子，同时感染BHK-21细胞也观察到典型的山羊痘病毒粒子。     

Experimental maedi infection in sheep. 1. Detection of virus, clinical course, histopathology

Eight sheep were inoculated with Icelandic maedi strain M 88; 2 sheep served as control sheep and were in close contact with the inoculated ones. Four of the sheep were inoculated via the respiratory tract with 7×10⁶ TGID50 of strain M88 and the other 4 intracerebrally with 5×10⁵ TGID50 of the same strain.Maedi M88 strain was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes of all inoculated sheep. There was a striking difference between the 2 groups in the appearance of demonstrable viremia after inoculation. Viremia could be demonstrated in the intrapulmonarily inoculated sheep within 2–6 months but not until 8–11 months after inoculation in the intracerebrally inoculated ones. This finding is thought most probably to reflect a weak neurotropism of the strain used. After the first demonstration of viremia, maedi virus has been recovered quite reqularly in peripheral leukocytes of all intrapulmonarily inoculated sheep, but less regularly in the intracerebrally inoculated ones. Maedi virus was isolated from 1 of the uninoculated control sheep 15 months after inoculation.The first clinical case with a clinical appearance suggesting combined involvement of maedi and visna was found among the intrapulmonarily inoculated sheep, 8% months after inoculation. Histopathological examination and virus isolation confirmed maedi. The cause of paraplegia could not be confirmed. No histopathological changes were found and no virus isolation was made from the central nervous system of this animal.One of the intracerebrally inoculated sheep died suddenly without any observed clinical signs 11 months after inoculation. Histopathological examination revealed pulmonary lesions of maedi, but no visna lesions in the central nervous system, although maedi virus was isolated from various parts of brain.None of the other experimental sheep displayed clinical signs of maedi or visna during the observation period of 18 months.     

Immunogenicity, pathogenicity, and transmissibility of a recombinant vaccinia virus in calves

Experiments concerned with the immunogenicity, pathogenicity, and transmissibility of a recombinant vaccinia:Sindbis virus were conducted. The WR strain of the recombinant vaccinia:Sindis virus was found to be infective for calves and mildly pathogenic, resulting in local tissue reaction. It was not transmissible to other calves. Also, it was found to be immunogenic when inoculated intradermally into calves, and antibody was produced against the parent vector virus (vaccinia) and the Sindbis antigen. Recombinant virus given IV to calves induced no detectable clinical signs, nor did the calves develop neutralizing antibodies. Furthermore, second-passage lesion material containing up to 10(7) tissue culture infective doses of the recombinant virus failed to induce development of lesions or illness in intradermally inoculated calves, and virus could not be recovered from the inoculation sites. In this series of experiments, this vaccinia recombinant given intradermally was immunogenic, mildly pathogenic at the local injection site only, and was not transmissible to contact animals, thus demonstrating the potential efficacy and safety of the WR strain of vaccinia virus when used as a live vector system in cattle.     

白喉型鸡痘病毒Gibbs株免疫特性研究

白喉型鸡痘病毒Gibbs株能在鸡胚绒毛尿囊膜上良好增殖，接种后１２０小时，绒毛尿囊膜明显水肿，且淡黄色痘斑，其毒价达到１０^5.25-10^5.83EID50/0.2ml。用１０倍稀释的病毒悬液肌肉注射１３日龄雏鸡，无任何不良反应。用１００倍稀释病毒液皮下刺种免疫１４－４０日龄鸡，接种后３－６天，接种局部出现痘痂，接种后１４天，用１０倍稀释的Ｇibbs株病毒液二次皮下刺种或用鸡痘野毒株经腿部毛作擦，免疫未见任何局部反应或其它异常，保护率达１００％。，免疫后１６５天，保护率仍达８０％，试验结果证实该毒株具有良好的免疫原性和安全性。     

Four sporadic cases of congenital swinepox

Four sporadic cases of congenital swinepox are described. The pigs were born with pox lesions over their entire bodies. Microscopic examination revealed ballooning degeneration of keratinocytes, cytoplasmic inclusions and intranuclear vacuolisation. Electron microscopy detected poxvirus particles in all four pigs. The virus was isolated from one pig and identified by HindIII restriction endonuclease digestion as swinepox virus.     

A comparison of intradermal and intravenous inoculation of bluetongue virus serotype 23 in sheep for clinico-pathology, and viral and immune responses

The pathogenesis of bluetongue (BT) could vary with route of inoculation. Using laboratory-passaged moderately virulent bluetongue virus serotype 23 (BTV-23), one of the most prevalent Indian serotype, we investigated the pathogenesis of BT in intradermally (ID) and intravenously (IV) inoculated native sheep. The ID inoculation resulted in relatively increased clinical signs and lesions in many organs as compared to IV inoculation. BTV-23 detection by real-time RT-PCR and isolation studies revealed that ID inoculation can be more efficient than IV ones in disseminating and spreading virus to systemic organs, including pre-scapular draining lymph node, spleen, lungs and pulmonary artery. Furthermore, the ID inoculation resulted in early onset and increased humoral response with significant increase (P<0.01) in antibody titre at various intervals. Taken together, these data suggest that ID inoculation can be more potent in reproducing many aspects of natural infection, including clinical disease, viral and immune responses, and may be useful route in setting up experimental infections for challenge or pathogenesis studies using laboratory passaged BTVs.     

Generalized fatal Cowpox virus infection in a cat with transmission to a human contact case

A 4-month-old female domestic shorthair cat was infected by a virus of the Poxvirus family. The animal developed a severe pneumonia and generalized ulcerating lesions of the skin. Histologically, typical eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies indicative of an Orthopoxvirus (OPV) infection were present. The lung showed grey-white to haemorrhagic nodular lesions with a central zone of complete necrosis of alveolar and bronchial tissue. Electron microscopy from skin and lung nodules revealed typical square-shaped OPV particles. Cultivation of the virus on chorio-allantoic membranes of embryonated chicken eggs resulted in haemorrhagic plaques. Restriction enzyme analysis, PCR and sequencing of the D8L gene identified the OPV isolate as a typical Cowpox virus. It was transmitted by the cat to a human contact person who developed a local nodular dermatitis at the inoculation site in association with signs of general infection and had an increase of OPV-specific neutralizing antibodies in paired serum samples.     

Comparative pathogenesis of serotype 1 and variant serotype 1 isolates of infectious bursal disease virus and their effect on humoral and cellular immune competence of specific-pathogen-free chickens

Specific-pathogen-free chickens inoculated with isolate VA (variant A) or isolate IM of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) were examined for mitogenic response to T-cell mitogens, primary and secondary antibody response to sheep erythrocytes and Brucella abortus, and gross and histologic lesions in thymus and bursa. Both isolates induced comparable depression in the mitogenic and antibody response, and both caused extensive gross and histologic lesions in the bursa of Fabricius. However, bursal necrosis induced by the IM isolate was accompanied by an inflammatory response, whereas the inflammatory component was lacking in the lesion induced by the VA isolate. Furthermore, the IM isolate induced extensive lesions in the thymus, but the VA isolate did not.     

Cellular responses in the skin of merino sheep to repeated inoculation with Dermatophilus congolensis

The cellular response in the skin of Merino sheep was examined after three successive inoculations with Dermatophilus congolensis. There was a massive neutrophil influx into the infected epidermis and underlying dermis at 4-10 days after the first inoculation. A lymphocyte-macrophage response occurred at 10-12 days, followed by a plasma cell response at 14-38 days. Resolution of skin lesions after the first inoculation corresponded to the time when the plasma cell response in the skin was most intense. A second inoculation with D. congolensis, 70 days after the first, failed to produce skin lesions typical of dermatophilosis. Typical lesions of dermatophilosis did develop after a third inoculation of the same sheep 140 days after the first inoculation, but the lesions resolved in most sheep within 13 days. Dermatophilosis did not develop in some of these sheep at sites inoculated with 100-1000-fold lower infective doses of D. congolensis, whereas control sheep did develop lesions.     

Susceptibility of cats, sheep, and swine to a rabbit isolate of Encephalitozoon cuniculi

Newborn cats, pigs, and sheep (3 to 14 days old) and postweanling cats (2.5 months old) that had been inoculated with Gardner feline sarcoma virus and feline leukemia virus at 10 days of age were infected experimentally with a rabbit isolate of the mammalian protozoan parasite Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Infection occurred in all cats and in some sheep, but was questionable in pigs. Brain and kidney were the 2 major target organs in cats. The lesions were compatible with, but less severe than, those of naturally infected cats and other carnivores. Of 13 cats, E cuniculi could be detected morphologically in the kidneys of 12 cats and in the brain of 1 cat. The organisms were reisolated from 2 cats with ground tissue suspension of kidney or urine sediment. The indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) titers were 1:20 to 1:1,280 at the time the animals were killed, but antibodies were not detected before inoculation. Lesions were seen in the kidneys of 2 of 4 sheep. These lesions were mild, but were compatible with those in a spontaneously affected goat. Encephalitozoon cuniculi were found morphologically in the kidney of 1 sheep with lesions. All sheep had IFA titers of 1:10 to 1:20 before inoculation, and the titers were 1:20 to 1:320 when they were killed. Vasculitis, similar to the subacute-to-chronic stage of polyarteritis nodosa, was observed in 1 of 8 pigs. The lesions were primarily present in the kidney; comparable but milder lesions were also seen in the heart and brain. Antibody was not detected before inoculation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Sheep pox disease outbreaks in Madras Red and Mechery breeds of indigenous sheep in Tamilnadu, India

Sheep pox disease outbreaks were recorded among Madras Red (n=145) and Mechery (n=80) breeds of indigenous sheep on three farms in Tamilnadu. Over both breeds, adult mortality rate ranged from 2.66% to 37.5% and lamb mortality ranged from 10% to 17.33%. However, mortality was more in Mechery sheep (50% overall; 37.5% adults, 12.5% lambs) than in Madras Red sheep (24.28% overall; 10.34% adults, 13.79% lambs). The clinical signs observed were high fever, anorexia, respiratory distress, mucopurulent nasal discharge and in a few cases diarrhoea. Cutaneous lesions were mainly observed around nostrils, eyes, lips, ears and in the abdomen. Most of the lesions were covered with purulent materials and on cleaning with sterile swabs, fresh wounds were observed. Dry scabs were also observed over the oral commissure and maxillary areas, which on removal exposed fresh wounds. Important observations on necropsy were severe nodular lesions in the lungs and intestine. The disease was diagnosed as sheep pox by agar gel immunodiffusion test, isolation of virus and its neutralization in BHK(21) cells by specific antiserum and by electron microscopy.     

Bluetongue virus serotypes 20 and 17 infections in sheep: Comparison of clinical and serological responses

The clinical, virological and serological responses of sheep infected with an Australian bluetongue virus (BTV) isolate (serotype 20) were compared to responses in sheep inoculated with an American bluetongue isolate (serotype 17) with which it had shown cross-reactions in serum neutralization tests. In sheep inoculated with BTV 20, clinical signs were very mild and viremia was first detected by day 5; virus was isolated intermittently for a further 2 to 3 days. Neutralizing and precipitating antibodies were first detected in the serum of the sheep between 2 to 3 weeks following inoculation. In contrast, sheep inoculated with BTV 17 showed pyrexia and severe hyperemia of the nasolabial area and oral mucosa from day 7 to 17. Viremia was first detected on day 3 and extended to day 20, while the appearance and titers of serum antibodies was similar in both groups.After challenge with BTV 17 the sheep in both groups remained clinically normal, and virus was not detected in the blood; however, serum neutralizing antibody titers to both viruses increased 2 weeks after challenge and the mean titer of the two groups ranged from 1:250 to 1:640.     

Papillomavirus-induced dermatofibroma in cattle following tuberculin testing

Papillomavirus was identified in two fibromatous dermal nodules which were representative of those present in the caudal fold skin of the tail in 25 of 145 beef cattle tuberculin tested 3 months earlier. Bovine warts were endemic on the property and it is hypothesised that the papilloma virus was introduced intradermally by a virus-contaminated tuberculin syringe. At palpation, the well-circumscribed hard nodular lesions were atypical of the diffuse caudal fold swelling usually present in reactions to tuberculin. Provided tuberculin testing officers are aware of the risk of fibroma and papilloma induction by transmission of papillomavirus, and they are careful to prevent equipment coming into contact with warts at time of inoculation, this source of inaccuracv mav be avoided.