DIFFERENTIAL TROPISM OF PSEUDORABIES VIRUS FOR SENSORY NEURONS IN THECAT

The permissiveness of cat motor and sensory systems to infection by ps eudorabies virus (PRV) was examined. Eight adult cats of both sexes re ceived injections of a virulent strain of PRV (PRV-Becker) into either the diaphragm or neck musculature. Temporal analysis of the replicati on and transynaptic passage of virus in each experimental paradigm rev ealed that sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia were more suscep tible to infection than motor neurons. Only scattered motor neurons di splayed productive replication of virus at postinoculation intervals e xtending to 192 h whereas robust replication of virus in neurons in th e dorsal root ganglia and dorsal horn of the spinal cord was apparent as early as 96 h post inoculation. The data demonstrate that functiona lly distinct populations of neurons in the cat are differentially perm issive to infection and transneuronal transport of PRV.