title: Experimental equine herpesvirus-1 infection in llamas (Lama glama).
abstract: Three llamas (Lama glama) were experimentally infected intranasally with an isolate of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) from the brain of an alpaca that had experienced severe neurologic signs. Two of the 3 llamas developed severe neurologic disorders following inoculation; 1 died, and 1 was euthanized in a moribund state. The third llama showed only mild neurologic signs. The euthanized llama had preexisting antibodies to EHV-1, and the remaining 2 llamas were seronegative (virus neutralization titer less than 6) at the time of inoculation. One of the seronegative llamas died acutely without production of detectable antibodies, and the other developed antibodies typical of a primary immune response. The EHV-1 virus was recovered only from a sample of the thalamus of the llama that died acutely. Histopathologic lesions were observed in the brain and retina of the dead and euthanized animals. This study verifies the pathogenic potential of EHV-1 for llamas.
authors.affiliation: US Department of Agriculture, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Greenport, NY 11944.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: House
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Gregg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lubroth
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Dubovi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torres
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002161:Camelids, New World; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004861:Herpesvirus 1, Equid / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral