Transmission of virus from serosal fluids and demonstration of antigen in neutrophils and mesothelial cells of cattle infected with bovine ephemeral fever virus.
Following intravenous injection of bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) virus 6 cattle were autopsied after clinical disease became evident. Fluid from serosal cavities with serofibrinous inflammatory changes showed large increases in neutrophil numbers. BEF virus was detected for the first time in pericardial, thoracic and abdominal fluids. Virus was also detected in synovial fluids, confirming an earlier report of transmission with a synovial fluid sample. Using a direct fluorescent antibody technique, BEF virus antigen was identified for the first time in synovial, pericardial, thoracic and abdominal fluids, in synovial membranes and epicardium. In synovial membranes and epicardium, specific fluorescence was observed in two cell types, mesothelial cells and neutrophils. In the fluids, fluorescence was restricted to neutrophils, the predominant cell type. Specific fluorescence was observed in blood smears from only one animal although blood samples collected at autopsy from all animals contained infective virus.
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002417:Cattle; D004810:Ephemeral Fever / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D010496:Pericardium / Q000382:microbiology; D012209:Rhabdoviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000382:microbiology
D000956:Antigens, Viral