title: Immunohistochemical identification of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus in paraffin-embedded specimens from naturally infected goats.
abstract: The expression of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus capsid protein was studied in seropositive naturally infected asymptomatic goals (10< seropositive naturally infected encephalitic kids (12) and goats (4), and noninfected control goats (3). Rabbit antiserum to recombinant viral capsid and matrix proteins were used in a biotin-streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase complex immunohistochemical method on sections of formalin- and ethanol-fixed tissue specimens. Macrophages in inflamed areas of the lung (8/12), in the brain (5/16), and in the spinal cord (4/16) from encephalitic animals harbored viral antigens, as revealed by immunohistochemistry and use of a capsid protein-specific antiserum. Altogether 12/16 encephalitic animals tested positive for viral antigen. Viral antigens were found in 5/10 seropositive asymptomatic goals in macrophages located in the lung (3), the udder (1), and the medulla of lymph nodes (4). None of the control animals tested positive for viral antigen. Ethanol fixation showed highest sensitivity, and the lowest antigen concentration that revealed a positive signal discernible from background was twofold higher in ethanol-fixed specimens than in formalin-fixed specimens. The evaluation was performed on artificial antigen substrates embedded with defined concentrations of recombinant viral capsid protein. Immunohistochemistry is a valuable supplement to the methods presently available for diagnosis in cases suspicious of caprine arthritis-encephalitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Microbiology and Food Hygiene, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Storset
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Evensen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rimstad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D016088:Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus, Caprine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D002213:Capsid / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D006041:Goats; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000737:chemistry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000473:pathology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D016612:Paraffin Embedding / Q000662:veterinary*; D011817:Rabbits; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007106:Immune Sera; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D005982:Glutathione Transferase