Jm. Hutchison et al., PROSPECTIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL FEATURES OF AN IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME AFFECTING JUVENILE LLAMAS, Veterinary immunology and immunopathology, 49(3), 1995, pp. 209-227
The clinicopathologic and immunologic features of 15 llamas affected w
ith juvenile llama immunodeficiency syndrome (JLIDS) are described. He
althy adult (n = 10) and juvenile (n = 10) llamas served as controls.
JLIDS llamas were characterized by wasting, and clinically apparent, r
epeated infections were frequently observed. The median age at which a
health problem was first perceived was 11.6 months. All 15 affected l
lamas died or were killed, and JLIDS was confirmed at necropsy. The me
dian duration of illness was 3.5 months. Lymphocyte blastogenesis assa
ys showed suppressed responses (particularly to Staphylococcus sp. Pro
tein A) in JLIDS llamas. No evidence of retroviral infection was detec
ted. Mild, normocytic, normochromic, non-regenerative anemia, low seru
m albumin concentration and low to low-normal globulin concentrations
were typically found on initial clinical evaluation. Lymph node biopsi
es showed areas of paracortical depletion, All l llamas affected with
JLIDS had low serum IgG concentrations, pre-vaccination titers against
Clostridium perfringens C and D toxoids of less than or equal to 1:10
0, and no titer increase following vaccination.