Natural caprine herpesvirus 1 (CpHV-1) infection in kids

Twenty-seven kids aged 5-7 days from a flock of 200 goats in which a high r ate of abortion occurred died over a 2-month period. Ali showed hyperthermi a, abdominal pain and anorexia. Two of the kids were examined post mortem. Ulcerative and necrotic lesions affected the whole intestine, and macroscop ical changes were also observed in the lungs, urinary bladder and liver. Hi stologically, a severe necrotizing enteritis as well as thickening of the a lveolar septa and necrotic bronchiolo-alveolitis were detected. Prominent m icroscopical lesions were also present in the liver, urinary bladder, splee n, thymus, mesenteric lymph nodes and kidney. Macrophages containing eosino philic intranuclear inclusion bodies appeared to be the main inflammatory c ell in all the organs examined. Ultrastructurally. herpesvirus particles we re evident. Characteristic morphological features of type-A capsids (empty) , type-C capsids (large core), and type-B capsids were observed. A virus wa s isolated in cell culture from all organs examined in the two kids. Cytopa thogenic effects (rounding cells, syncytia, vacuoles, cell lysis) and acido philic intranuclear inclusions typical of herpesvirus infection were observ ed. The virus was identified as caprine herpesvirus 1 (CpHV-1) by the polym erase chain reaction (PCR) technique and by serum neutralization. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.