VENEREAL SHEDDING OF OVINE LENTIVIRUS IN INFECTED RAMS

Objective-To assess shedding of ovine lentivirus (OvLV) in semen of in fected rams with or without epididymitis. Design-Rams 1 and 2 were nat urally infected with OvLV. Rams 3-6 were inoculated with OvLV strain 8 5/34. Ram 7 was inoculated with uninfected cell culture supernatatant (OvLV-negative control). 14 weeks after OvLV inoculation, rams 1-3, 6, and 7 were inoculated with Brucella ovis into the epididymis. Ram 4 w as a natural case of B ovis epididymitis, and ram 5 was left non-inocu lated (B ovis-negative control). Blood mononuclear cells (BMNC) and se men were collected between 0 and 44 weeks after OvLV inoculation. Anim als-Seven 2- to 3-year-old rams. Procedure-Infective OvLV in BMNC and semen was determined by virus isolation and subsequent OvLV-DNA amplif ication by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Bronchoalveolar lavage cel ls collected after death were used for DNA extraction and PCR amplific ation. Results-OvLV was detected in the semen of rams 3 and 6, but onl y after B ovis inoculation. OvLV was isolated consistently from BMNC o f rams 3 and 6, but only occasionally from rams 1, 2, 4, and 5. Leukoc ytospermia was evident in every ejaculate of all B ovis-infected rams after infection. Semiquantitative PCR determination of OvLV DNA from b ronchoalveolar lavage cells revealed the highest OvLV DNA load in rams 3 and 6. Conclusions-Leukocytospermia and a high virus load in infect ed animals are important factors that determine shedding of OvLV in se men. Clinical Relevance-Dissemination of OvLV through contaminated sem en could have important implications in the epidemiology and control o f this infection.