Classical swine fever: Pathogenesis of glomerular damage and immunocharacterization of immunocomplex deposits

Twenty-six pigs were inoculated with a Virulent isolate (Quillota strain) o f classical swine fever (hog cholera) virus to determine the chronological development of lesions in the renal glomeruli and the pathogenesis of glome rular damage and immunocomplex deposition. The study included the use of hi stopathological, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical (detection of vira l antigen gp55, myeloid-histiocyte antigen, Ig\M, IgG and Clq) techniques. The main changes in glomerular structure Were observed from 7 days post-ino culation (dpi) onwards, at which time the glomeruli showed macrophage infil trations in the mesangium, and viral infection in circulating cells, glomer ular endothelial cells and podocytes. Moreover, significant subcellular cha nges were detected in podocytes, which appeared swollen. with fusion of foo t processes. Immunocomplex deposits immunoreactive for IgM, IgG and Clq wer e detected in mesangial, subepithelial and subendothelial areas from 10 dpi but viral antigen was not detected as a component of these deposits; fusio n of foot processes had increased in severity especially near immunocomplex deposits. All these changes had increased still further in the final phase of the experiment (14 dpi), with neutrophil infiltrations in the mesangium . (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers, Ltd.