PATHOMORPHOLOGICAL AND IMMUNOHISTOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN PROGENY OF GOATS EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED WITH PESTIVIRUSES

A total of 25 pregnant goats without neutralizing antibodies against B VD virus were inoculated with two different pestivirus isolates at eig ht different stages of gestation. In both infection groups, various ma lformations were observed in fetuses and neonates. In three twins with neutralizing antibodies against BVD virus leucoencephalomalacia occur red, characterized by gelatinous transformation in the cerebral hemisp heres. These lesions were comparable to alterations described in alter native pathology of Border disease in sheep. Although the immunohistol ogical findings are characteristic for immunological tolerance and vir al persistence, viable offspring persistently infected with pestivirus was not observed.