SYSTEMIC HERPESVIRUS-INFECTION IN NEONATAL GOATS

Three 10-to 16-day-old Boer goat kids died and one kid was euthanased after showing depression, abdominal pain and refusal to suckle. Gross lesions in 2 kids comprised ulcerative and necrotic lesions in the ile um, colon and caecum. Microscopically, the mucosal lesions in the ileu m of one kid were associated with necrosis of lymphoid follicles and a cidophilic intranuclear inclusions in epithelial cells and in what app eared to be macrophages and dendritic reticular cells. Foci of necrosi s and intranuclear inclusions were also present in the mesenteric lymp h node, kidney and lung. Electron microscopy of sections of the intest ine demonstrated the presence of intranuclear virus-like particles, mo rphologically compatible with a herpesvirus.