Ovine fetal malformations induced by in utero inoculation with Main Drain, San Angelo, and LaCrosse viruses.

The teratogenic potential of three bunyaviruses, two California serogroup bunyaviruses, LaCrosse virus and San Angelo virus, and a Bunyamwera serogroup member, Main Drain virus, in sheep was studied following in utero inoculation of ewes in early gestation. Although Main Drain virus appeared to be most teratogenic, all three viruses induced a range of lesions including arthrogryposis, hydrocephalus, fetal death, axial skeletal deviations, anasarca, and oligohydramnios. The teratogenic effects of these viruses are identical to those described in ovine infections by Cache Valley and Akabane viruses. Demonstration of a common bunyaviral tropism for fetal tissue infection that results in congenital brain and musculoskeletal malformations provides evidence that human in utero infection by bunyaviruses could result in similar malformations in human infants.

Preferential infection of neuronal and astroglia cells by Akabane virus in primary cultures of fetal bovine brain.

Akabane virus is a member of the genus Bunyavirus; it is pathogenic for ruminants and transmitted by arthropod vectors. Infection of adult cattle and sheep causes a transient viremia without obvious clinical signs, while infection of pregnant animals often causes fetal abnormalities including hydranencephaly, poliomyelitis and arthrogryposis. Infectious virus or viral antigens is present in the brain, spinal cord and skeletal muscle of infected fetuses. To understand the interaction between Akabane virus and bovine brain cells, we investigated the viral tropism using primary cultures of fetal bovine brain. The cultured neuronal cells, astroglia cells and microglia cells were distinguished by cell type specific antisera. Akabane virus was found to infect neuronal cells and astroglia cells, which led to degenerative death. No microglia cells were found infected. In some brain cultures, we observed different sensitivities of the cells to two Akabane virus strains: an attenuated strain infected and spread more readily than wild type virus. This difference was not observed in a hamster fibroblast cell line. Both viral and host determinants might be involved in the different susceptibility of brain cells to Akabane virus infection.