Aj. Masot et al., EXPERIMENTAL-INFECTION OF LAMBS WITH BOVI NE RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS - PATHOLOGICAL AND HEMATOLOGICAL STUDIES, Revue de Medecine Veterinaire, 144(10), 1993, pp. 773-780
An experimental model was designed to characterise the gross and micro
scopic lung lesions observed in lambs inoculated with Bovine Respirato
ry Syncytial Virus (BRSV). Thirty merino lambs of both sexes, with a l
ive weight of 17 +/- 3 kg, received an intratracheal inoculation of 20
mi saline solution containing 1,26 x 10(6)TCIDS(50) BRSV (strain NMK-
7) per ml. Lambs were slaughtered 1, 3, 7, 11 and 15 days post-inocula
tion and histopathological and morphometric studies were performed. Bl
ood samples were also collected 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 15 days post-
inoculation, and various haematological parameters were analysed. Resu
lts reflected a series of lesions, the most noteworthy of which were b
ronchiolitis obliterans with destruction of the mucociliary apparatus,
the presence of syncytial cells in alveoli and a progressive intersti
tial reaction. This reaction led to a reduction in the area of bronchi
olar and alveolar lumina. Blood tests revealed normocytic and normochr
omic anaemia, together with neutrophil leukocytosis up to day 7 p.i.