Mi. Quiroga et al., DIAGNOSIS OF AUJESZKYS-DISEASE VIRUS-INFECTION IN DOGS BY USE OF IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY AND IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION, Journal of veterinary medicine. Series A, 45(2), 1998, pp. 75-81
Aujeszky's disease (AD) was diagnosed in seven dogs by histological ex
amination, immunohistochemistry and DNA in-situ hybridization. All dog
s which lived on two swine farms died spontaneously showing an acute n
eurological syndrome (hypersalivation, vomiting, pruritus, depression
and coma). The most significant histopathological lesion was a non-sup
purative encephalitis located in the brain stem, mainly near the floor
of the IVth ventricle. Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) antigen and ADV
nucleic acid distribution coincided with the histopathological lesion
s. However, little ADV antigen and ADV nucleic acid was found in serve
ry damaged areas. A few neurons stained intensely by immunohistochemis
try and in-situ hybridization in non-inflamatory areas. Both immunohis
tochemistry and in-situ hybridization techniques are valid techniques
to confirm ADV infection in paraffin-embedded tissues and will be usef
ul for characterizing the pathogenesis of ADV in the central nervous s
ystem (CNS) in carnivores.