Lung tumor development and spontaneous regression in lambs coinfected with Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus and ovine lentivirus.

Ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA) is a naturally occurring and experimentally inducible lung cancer of sheep caused by Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV). The first aim of this study was to monitor the development of OPA with minimally invasive, real-time observations of animals experimentally infected with JSRV as well as ovine lentivirus (maedi-visna virus). Worldwide, simultaneous infection of sheep with these 2 retroviruses is a common occurrence, naturally and experimentally; consequently, the lung tumor homogenates used as inocula contained both viruses. Following inoculation, computed tomography was used to detect tumor nodules early, before the onset of clinical signs, and to monitor tumor advancement. However, not only was OPA disease progression observed, but the apparent spontaneous regression of OPA was witnessed. In fact, regression was more common than progression following JSRV inoculation of neonatal lambs. Immune responses were detected, particularly involving CD3(+) T cells and the production of antibodies against JSRV that may mediate the spontaneous regression of JSRV-induced OPA. The second aim of this study was to determine whether OPA tumors harbor genetic alterations similar to those found in human lung adenocarcinoma. No mutations were found in the tyrosine kinase domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor, KRAS codons 12 and 13, or the DNA-binding domain of p53 in tumor DNA from naturally occurring and experimentally-induced OPA cases. Overall, the genetic profile combined with the disease development data provides further important characterization of OPA and describes, for the first time, spontaneous regression of OPA tumors in experimentally infected sheep.

A sero-survey of rinderpest in nomadic pastoral systems in central and southern Somalia from 2002 to 2003, using a spatially integrated random sampling approach.

A cross-sectional sero-survey, using a two-stage cluster sampling design, was conducted between 2002 and 2003 in ten administrative regions of central and southern Somalia, to estimate the seroprevalence and geographic distribution of rinderpest (RP) in the study area, as well as to identify potential risk factors for the observed seroprevalence distribution. The study was also used to test the feasibility of the spatially integrated investigation technique in nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoral systems. In the absence of a systematic list of livestock holdings, the primary sampling units were selected by generating random map coordinates. A total of 9,216 serum samples were collected from cattle aged 12 to 36 months at 562 sampling sites. Two apparent clusters of RP seroprevalence were detected. Four potential risk factors associated with the observed seroprevalence were identified: the mobility of cattle herds, the cattle population density, the proximity of cattle herds to cattle trade routes and cattle herd size. Risk maps were then generated to assist in designing more targeted surveillance strategies. The observed seroprevalence in these areas declined over time. In subsequent years, similar seroprevalence studies in neighbouring areas of Kenya and Ethiopia also showed a very low seroprevalence of RP or the absence of antibodies against RP. The progressive decline in RP antibody prevalence is consistent with virus extinction. Verification of freedom from RP infection in the Somali ecosystem is currently in progress.

Experimental coinduction of type D retrovirus-associated pulmonary carcinoma and lentivirus-associated lymphoid interstitial pneumonia in lambs.

Two retrovirus-associated pulmonary diseases of sheep [ovine pulmonary carcinoma (OPC); sheep pulmonary adenomatosis], a bronchoalveolar carcinoma, and lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP) were induced simultaneously in 9 of 9 neonatal lambs. The lambs were killed 8-28 weeks after intratracheal injection of lung tumor homogenate or lung fluid derived from sheep with naturally occurring OPC and ovine lentivirus (OvLV) infection. The inoculated lambs developed multifocal neoplasms of alveolar type II cells or nonciliated bronchiolar epithelial cells, LIP, and pulmonary lymph node hyperplasia, and all produced antibody to OvLV. OvLV was isolated from 6 to 7 lambs tested, and infectious center assay of pulmonary lavage cells from 3 lambs revealed that approximately 1 in 1,000 pulmonary lavage cells contained infectious lentivirus. Neither contact control lambs nor control lambs that received ultrafiltered lung fluid developed evidence of either disease or of OvLV infection. Lung fluid or tumor tissue of lambs with OPC contained a 26,000-dalton protein that cross-reacted with antiserum to p27 to Mason-Pfizer monkey virus, a type D retrovirus. The fact that no antigenic cross-reaction between OvLV and type D retroviruses has been demonstrated supports the presence of two retroviruses in sheep with OPC. Although the contributions of each agent to oncogenesis in this model are difficult to evaluate, the rapid development of two retrovirus-induced pulmonary diseases in experimentally inoculated lambs suggests an etiologic or pathogenetic synergism between these two members of the family Retroviridae.

Natural history of JSRV in sheep.

Ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA) is a contagious lung tumour of sheep and, rarely, goats that arises from two types of secretory epithelial cell that retain their luxury function of surfactant synthesis and secretion. It is classified as a low-grade adenocarcinoma and is viewed as a good model for epithelial neoplasia because of its morphological resemblance to the human lung tumour, bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinoma. OPA is present in most of the sheep rearing areas of the globe and, in affected flocks, tumours are present in a high proportion of sheep. OPA is associated with the ovine retrovirus, jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV), and is transmissible only with inocula that contain JSRV. All sheep contain JSRV-related endogenous viruses, but JSRV is an exogenous virus that is associated exclusively with OPA. JSRV is detected consistently in the lung fluid, tumour and lymphoid tissues of sheep affected by both natural and experimental OPA or unaffected in-contact flockmates and never in sheep from unaffected flocks with no history of the tumour. JSRV replicates principally in the epithelial tumour cells, but also establishes a disseminated infection of several lymphoid cell types, including peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs). Longitudinal studies in flocks with endemic OPA have revealed JSRV in PBLs before the onset of clinical OPA and even in the absence of discernible lung tumour. The prevalence of JSRV infection is 40%-80%, although only 30% of sheep appear to develop OPA lesions. A unique feature of OPA is the absence of a specific humoral immune response to JSRV, despite the highly productive infection in the lungs and the disseminated lymphoid infection. This feature is associated with reduced responsiveness to some mitogens, although the phenotypic profile of the peripheral blood remains unaltered. The reduced response is an early and sustained event during infection and may indicate that the failure of infected sheep to produce specific antibodies to JSRV is a direct consequence of infection.

Transformation and oncogenesis by jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus.

Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) is an exogenous retrovirus of sheep that induces a contagious lung cancer, ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA). JSRV is a potent carcinogen in the experimental setting, inducing end-stage tumors at around 6 weeks of age when newborn lambs are inoculated intratracheally. Despite this rapid oncogenesis, inspection of the JSRV genome sequence does not reveal any obvious viral oncogenes. In this review, recent advances in studies of JSRV oncogenic transformation are described. Molecular cloning of an infectious and oncogenic JSRV provirus was instrumental in the studies. DNA transfection of JSRV proviral DNA into mouse NIH3T3 cells results in morphological transformation, indicating that the JSRV genome carries an oncogene. Further experiments identified the JSRV envelope protein as the transforming gene, and a PI3 kinase docking site in the cytoplasmic tail of the transmembrane (TM) protein was shown to be necessary for transformation. Avian DF-1 cells infected with an avian retroviral vector (RCAS) expressing the JSRV envelope protein also undergo tumorigenic transformation. Possible mechanisms of transformation are discussed, and a cooperating role for insertional activation of proto-oncogenes in tumorigenesis is also considered. The transforming potential of the JSRV envelope protein may be necessary for JSRV infection and replication in vivo.

Endogenous retroviruses related to jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus.

Ovine betaretroviruses consist of exogenous viruses [jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) and enzootic nasal tumor virus, (ENTV)] associated with neoplastic diseases of the respiratory tract and 15-20 endogenous viruses (enJSRV) stably integrated in the ovine and caprine genome. Phylogenetic analysis of this group of retroviruses suggests that the enJSRV can be considered as 'modern' endogenous retroviruses with active, exogenous counterparts. Sequence analysis of JSRV, ENTV and enJSRV suggests that enJSRV do not directly contribute to the pathogenesis of ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA) or enzootic nasal tumor through large-scale recombination events, but small-scale recombination or complementation of gene function cannot be excluded; experiments involving enJSRV-free sheep, which have not been found, would be needed to investigate this possibility. Evidence of expression of enJSRV structural proteins in tissues of the reproductive tract and lung implies that they do not have a primary role in disease. However, experimental exploitation of exogenous/endogenous retrovirus sequence differences by producing chimeras has been useful in establishing the determinants of JSRV Env-induced transformation. Even if enJSRV do not have a direct role in OPA, their expression during ontogeny or in neonatal life may impact the likelihood of exogenous JSRV infection and disease outcome via the induction of immunological tolerance. Aside from any role in disease, enJSRV loci may serve as useful genetic markers in the sheep and their frequent expression in the reproductive tract of the ewe may portend an important physiologic role in sheep.

Ovine lentivirus-associated leucomyelitis in naturally infected North American sheep.

Leucomyelitis was the predominant feature in four North American adult sheep (cases 1-4) with ovine lentivirus (OvLV) infection. All four animals were OvLV-seropositive and a syncytogenic virus consistent with OvLV was isolated from the brain of case 3 and the lungs of case 4. Clinically, the sheep had dyspnoea and neurologic signs of varying severity. Changes in the central nervous system included asymmetrical meningoleucomyelitis with white matter degeneration in all four sheep and scattered foci of leucoencephalitis in periventricular, subependymal and other white matter areas of the brain of the three animals (cases 1, 2 and 4) for which the brain was examined. In the lungs of two sheep (cases 3 and 4), there was lymphoid interstitial pneumonia with marked lymphoid hyperplasia. The viral capsid antigen (p25) was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in sections of lung, brain and spinal cord of the four sheep and OvLV RNA was detected by in-situ hybridization (ISH) in lung and spinal cord samples. The results confirm the usefulness of the IHC and ISH for differential diagnosis of visna.

Analysis of lentiviral genomic variation by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.

Retroviruses are known for their genetic variability. In any infection, several genotypes usually exist within the host. We have used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to study genetic variation of ovine lentiviruses. Starting with viral DNA from cells infected in vitro, a portion of the envelope gene was amplified by PCR, and the products were analyzed by DGGE. With this technique we have been able to detect sequence variations between and within virus isolates and to show evolution of the predominant viral species upon in vivo passage.

Evidence for retroviral capsid and nucleocapsid antigens in ovine pulmonary carcinoma.

A retroviral etiology has been proposed for ovine pulmonary carcinoma (OPC); however, the putative virus (OPCV) has yet to be cultured. A Western immunoblotting assay using a panel of retroviral antisera was developed to further define the structural proteins of the virus associated with OPC and to confirm their presence in tumor samples of affected sheep. The results confirmed that the main structural viral component, the capsid protein (CA), was present in tumor materials (lung fluids, lavages, and tumor homogenates) but not in similar samples from control subjects. A second viral protein was detected in the tumor samples by antisera to the nucleocapsid protein (NC) of type D retroviruses. Both components could be purified from the tumor material in a manner consistent with association in viral particles. The cross-reactivity of the OPC antigens to other type B and D retroviruses was assessed. These results suggest that OPC antigens are closely related to the structural proteins of several type D primate retroviruses.

The etiology and pathogenesis of ovine pulmonary carcinoma (sheep pulmonary adenomatosis).

Ovine pulmonary carcinoma (OPC, sheep pulmonary adenomatosis, jaagsiekte) occurs naturally as a contagious bronchioloalveolar carcinoma of sheep in the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. The disease is endemic and economically important in Peru and apparently more common than previously suspected in the U.S.A. The tumor is a result of transformation of type II alveolar epithelial cells or non-ciliated bronchiolar cells of the lung. Clinically affected sheep develop dyspnea, tachypnea and often a watery nasal discharge that originates from tumor secretions. The course is progressive and death usually occurs within a few weeks. To study the viral etiology and pathogenesis of OPC in the U.S.A., the disease was experimentally transmitted to neonatal or young lambs with a success rate of 69%. Ovine lentivirus (OvLV), present in the inocula, was concurrently transmitted and induced lymphoid interstitial pneumonia in most animals. While morphological, immunological and other studies implicate a type D or type B retrovirus as the etiologic agent of OPC, this virus has not yet been cultured and the role of ovine lentivirus in the disease remains unknown.

A preliminary serological survey of viral antibodies in Peruvian sheep.

This study reports the sero-prevalence of viral infections in sheep in Peru. Serum samples were collected from 34 mature healthy rams located in 3 different geographic regions of the country (north, central and south). The sera were tested for antibodies to the following viruses: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV); parainfluenza 3 (PI-3) virus; bovine viral diarrhea/border disease (BVD/BD) virus; bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1); bluetongue (BT) virus; ovine progressive pneumoniae (OPP) virus; bovine leukosis virus (BLV). The serological studies showed that 47% were positive for RSV; 82% for PI-3; 3% for BVD/BD virus; 49% for BT virus; 13% for OPP virus. Antibodies were not detected to bovine herpesvirus 1 or to bovine leukosis virus.

Colostral transmission of maedi visna virus: sites of viral entry in lambs born from experimentally infected ewes.

Maedi visna virus (MVV) vertical transmission in sheep via infected colostrums is a very important route of infection in lambs. To verify colostral transmission and to study early viral entry in lambs, colostrum samples, and small intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes of lambs born from experimentally infected ewes were examined by histopathology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridisation (ISH) studies. In particular, newborn lambs were naturally fed maternal colostrum and humanely killed at 10, 24, 48, 72, 96 h and 7 and 10 days after birth; two caesarian-derived lambs served as uninfected controls. No lesions suggestive of MVV infection were found, but marked immunoreactions for MVV capsid antigen (CA, p28) were detected in lambs fed maternal colostrum and in macrophages cultured from colostrum. IHC results in lambs suggest an initial viral absorption by intestinal epithelial cells at the tip of the villi, passage to mononuclear cells in the lamina propria and involvement of ileum Peyers' patches and mesenteric lymph nodes, with different staining patterns depending on infection times. ISH on intestinal sections of the 72 h lamb revealed the presence of proviral DNA in epithelial cells at the tip of the villi, suggesting a role for these cells in early MVV replication. The results contribute to knowledge about the pathogenesis of ovine lentivirus infection suggesting that the small intestine and mesenteric nodes are the sites of entry and propagation of MVV in lambs fed colostrums from infected ewes.

Ovine interleukin-2: partial purification and assay in normal sheep and sheep with ovine progressive pneumonia.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2), a T cell derived lymphokine, acts in nonspecific hormone-like fashion to maintain proliferation of activated lymphocytes in vitro and is believed to play a key role in cell-mediated immune function in vivo. The parameters of induction and assay of factors with IL-2 activity were examined in a group of clinically normal sheep seronegative for antibodies to ovine progressive pneumonia virus (OPPV-). Supernatants from cultures of Concanavalin A (Con A) stimulated mononuclear leukocytes (ML) derived from peripheral blood and lymph nodes contained factors with the capacity to maintain continued proliferation in Con A stimulated lymphoblasts. This activity was localized by gel chromatography to fractions containing proteins of 17,000-20,000 daltons. In a group of sheep seropositive for antibodies to OPPV (OPPV+), decreased levels of IL-2 activity were found in ML culture supernatants derived from the posterior mediastinal lymph nodes of sheep with clinical and pathological evidence of OPP, when compared to OPPV+ sheep with no lesions and sheep with visceral caseous lymphadenitis. This decrease in IL-2 activity appeared not to be associated directly with levels of prostaglandin E2 in these supernatants. These findings may correlate with virus induced alterations in cell mediated immune function in lymphoproliferative lesions of OPP.

Evidence of decreased concanavalin A induced suppressor cell activity in the peripheral blood and pulmonary lymph nodes of sheep with ovine progressive pneumonia.

Concanavalin A (Con A) induced suppressor cell activity was evaluated in a group of ovine progressive pneumonia virus-antibody positive sheep (OPPV+). Decreased levels of suppressor activity were observed in the peripheral blood and regional pulmonary lymph nodes of animals with clinical and pathological evidence of ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP) when compared to animals with no lesions and animals with caseous lymphadenitis involving the lungs and pulmonary lymph nodes. Decreased levels of Con A stimulated lymphocyte proliferation was also observed in the peripheral blood and iliac lymph nodes of sheep with OPP. Sheep with OPP were found to be hypogammaglobulinemic. Sera from OPPV+ sheep had no effect on T and B cell mitogen stimulated responses of lymphocytes from sheep seronegative for antibodies to ovine progressive pneumonia virus (OPPV-) when compared to normal sheep serum.

Differential in vitro and in vivo expression of MHC class II antigens in bovine lymphocytes infected by Theileria parva.

The expression of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) non-polymorphic antigens detected by four monoclonal antibodies was investigated in Theileria parva-infected and non-infected cloned lymphoid cell lines, bulk cultures, and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and lymph node cells (LNC) of experimentally infected calves. Compared with non-infected cell lines, both immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytofluorometry analysis of infected lines of alpha beta T-cell, gamma delta T-cell and B-cell origin revealed high expression of MHC II MHC molecules. After T. parva infection in vitro, three alloreactive T cell clones, three interleukin-2 (IL-2)-dependent cell lines and a concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated bulk culture all had an increase both in the proportion of MHC II+ cells and in their mean fluorescence intensity. Radioimmunoprecipitation of class II molecules biosynthesized in infected and non-infected cells revealed that they were constitutively produced in infected cells, and were a slightly larger relative mass than the MHC II molecules of uninfected cells. In a study of the serial expression of MHC II antigens in PBMC and LNC of six calves inoculated with a lethal dose of T.parva, MHC II expression by non-parasitized cells peaked at Days 7 (LNC) or 9 (PBMC) following inoculation and, subsequently, MHC II non-expressing parasitized lymphocytes progressively outnumbered MHC II-expressing parasitized cells. In two calves studied in detail, MHC II expression in PBMC and LNC generally, and in T cells particularly, increased during the course of the disease. Finally, among LNC sorted for MHC II expression at 11 and 17 days after parasite inoculation, the proportion of parasitized cells increased markedly in MHC II non-expressing populations and was reduced or increased only slightly in MHC II-expressing populations. These findings indicate that: (1) enhanced MHC II antigen expression by parasitized lymphocytes may be important in the pathogenesis of the lymphoproliferation that characterizes T. parva infection; (2) the in vivo preponderance of MHC II non-expressing over MHC II-expressing T. parva-infected cells may reflect host-mediated destruction or antigenic modulation of parasitized MHC II-expressing cells.

Variation in mitogen-induced ovine lymphocyte blastogenesis: adherent cells or 2-mercaptoethanol restore randomly depressed responses.

Peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) isolated 23 times over a 6-week period from four normal sheep showed considerable variation in serially tested responses to predetermined optimal concentrations of concanavalin A (Con A), phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Con A responses, in particular, varied widely and were often randomly depressed (21 of 91 times compared to 15 of 91 times for PHA or PWM). The addition of as few as 1% adherent cells (AC) to depressed cultures fully restored the PBL proliferative response to normal levels. Addition of greater numbers of AC (5 or 10%) had little further enhancing effect on depressed cultures. The addition of 1, 5, or 10% AC to cultures that were responding at normal levels increased responses only slightly. Autologous or allogeneic AC were equally effective. Addition of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) to depressed cultures only partially restored the blastogenic response to Con A and had little effect on normal cultures.

Comparison of a maedi-visna virus CA-TM fusion protein ELISA with other assays for detecting sheep infected with North American ovine lentivirus strains.

A maedi-visna virus CA-TM fusion protein ELISA (MVV ELISA) was evaluated for the detection of antibody in sheep infected with North American ovine lentivirus (OvLV). The results of the MVV ELISA were compared with other assays for OvLV antibody and with viral infection in an intensively studied group of 38 sheep with a high prevalence of OvLV infection and disease. The sensitivity, specificity, and concordance of assays for OvLV antibody (MVV ELISA, indirect ELISA, Western blot, and AGID), virus (virus isolation, PCR, antigen ELISA), and OvLV-induced disease in each animal were compared with OvLV infection status as defined by a positive result in two or more of the assays. Five sheep met the criteria for absence of OvLV infection. The sensitivity of the MVV ELISA in detecting OvLV infected sheep was 64%, whereas the sensitivity of the other three tests for antibody ranged from 85 to 94%. All the antibody assays were 100% specific in this group of animals. Of the assays for virus, the PCR test had the highest sensitivity and the best concordance with OvLV infection, but it also had the lowest specificity of any of the virus or antibody assays. Among the antibody tests, the concordance of the MVV ELISA compared most favorably with the AGID test for detecting OvLV-infected sheep. Analysis of serum samples from 28 lambs experimentally-infected with one of three North American strains of OvLV suggested that there were no significant strain differences detectable by antibody assay. Twenty virus-inoculated lambs were positive by both the MVV ELISA and the AGID test, five lambs were MVV ELISA negative and AGID test positive, and three lambs were MVV ELISA positive and AGID test negative. No pre-inoculation samples were positive by either assay. In a longitudinal study involving seven lambs, antibodies to OvLV were detected by AGID 3-5 weeks post-inoculation, but were not detected by MVV ELISA until 5-10 weeks post-inoculation. Among 128 naturally and experimentally-infected sheep that were seropositive in the AGID test, the overall sensitivity of the MVV ELISA was higher in the naturally infected sheep (84%) than in the experimentally infected sheep (69%). The data indicated that the MVV ELISA represents a less sensitive, but specific alternative for the detection of OvLV antibodies.

ras p21 expression in ovine pulmonary carcinoma.

We have adapted an enzyme-linked immunoblot assay (ELIBA) for the detection of a c-ras proto-oncogene and oncogene protein products in human cell lines and tumors of 21,000 daltons molecular weight (p21ras) to studies of tissues derived from sheep. In the ELIBA, a double antibody system is used in which p21ras proteins are initially immunoprecipitated from protein extracts with monoclonal antibodies, and subsequently identified using additional anti-ras antibodies. Binding is identified with a non-radioactive enzyme-linked colorimetric detection system. In the present study, the ELIBA system was used to study twenty-seven ovine lung specimens, representing normal lung, inflammatory, and neoplastic lesions. We detected p21ras protein expression in every tissue examined, but the nature and amount of the protein product varied significantly among the tissues examined. Some tissues expressed multiple ras species. Broncho-alveolar carcinoma specimens were most likely to express c-Ki-ras proteins. Mutant proteins of c-N-ras and c-Ki-ras were detected in several bronchoalveolar carcinoma specimens, based on migrational differences between mutant and normal proteins in 15% polyacrylamide gels. The results of this study demonstrate the utility of the ELIBA system for detection of c-ras expression in ovine lung tissues, and demonstrate the ability of the system to discriminate specific ras protein species. The prognostic significance of ras expression in sheep pulmonary carcinoma has yet to be determined.

Epizootic malignant catarrhal fever in three bison herds: differences from cattle and association with ovine herpesvirus-2.

Three bison herds in Colorado experienced high mortality from malignant catarrhal fever (MCF). In comparison with cattle, the bison had a more rapidly progressive disease, fewer clinical signs, and milder inflammatory histologic lesions. There was consistent association with ovine herpesvirus-2 (OHV-2). Contact with sheep was not consistent. Of 17 animals in herd A, 15 died of acute MCF; 1 was slaughtered while healthy; and 1 developed clinical signs of MCF, was treated with corticosteroids and antibiotics, and died of fungal abomasitis and rhinitis after 5 months. In herds B and C, approximately 300 of 900 and 18 of 20 died of MCF following brief clinical disease. The nearest sheep were 1 mile away from herd A, but direct contact with sheep could be documented in herds B and C. Complete gross and histologic examinations were conducted on 34 animals, including all animals in herd A, and MCF was diagnosed in 31. In addition, field necropsies were performed on all dead animals in herd B and most in herd C and MCF was diagnosed on the basis of the gross lesions in most animals. Clinical signs of each animal in herd A were recorded. Illness was brief, usually 8-48 hours. Clinical signs were subtle; separation from the herd was often observed. In all 3 herds, hemorrhagic cystitis and multifocal ulceration of the alimentary tract were consistently found at necropsy. Mild lymphocytic vasculitis was present in multiple organs. Ovine herpesvirus-2 was found by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 71 of 105 formalin-fixed tissue specimens from 29 of 31 animals with MCF. In herd A, blood samples from 13 animals were collected at 5 time points and tested by PCR for the presence of OHV-2 viral sequences in peripheral blood leukocytes. Nine bison with a positive PCR test and 4 with negative results prior to clinical illness died of MCF.

Malignant catarrhal fever in bison, acute and chronic cases.

Acute malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) was diagnosed in 10 bison from 6 herds and ranging from 1 to 6 years of age. The pattern of clinical signs and morphologic lesions differed among bison. Combinations of corneal opacity, lacrimation, nasal discharge, depression, excess salivation, anorexia, diarrhea, melena, and hematuria were observed. Vasculitis characterized by lymphoid infiltrates in the adventia with variable extension into media and intima was found in multiple tissues in each animal. Fibrinoid vascular necrosis was rare. Ulceration in the alimentary tract was found in 9/10 bison, and ulceration or hemorrhage in the urinary bladder was found in 8/10 bison. Lymphoid infiltrates were present in 7 of 9 livers and 9 of 9 kidneys examined histologically. Hyperplasia of lymph nodes was observed in 5 bison. Chronic MCF was diagnosed in 1 bison with an 80-day course of illness that began with lacrimation, corneal opacity, mucoid nasal discharge, depression, and anorexia. These signs ceased after 15 days but circling and blindness developed on day 76. Chronic vascular lesions characterized by endothelial cell hypertrophy, intimal thickening, fragmentation of the internal elastic membrane, smooth muscle hypertrophy, and adventitial infiltrates of lymphocytes and plasma cells were found in many organs. The retinal arteries had chronic inflammation and acute transmural fibrinoid necrosis. The retinas were infarcted. Polymerase chain reaction technique for amplification of ovine herpesvirus 2 sequences was performed on formalin-fixed tissues, and viral sequences were detected in 1-7 tissues from each animal. These viral sequences were not found in tissues of 4 bison not affected by MCF.