Natural West Nile virus infection in a captive juvenile Arctic wolf (Canis lupus).
A case of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in a captive 4-month-old Arctic wolf (Canis lupus) is described. The animal had vomiting, anorexia, and ataxia before death. Histopathology revealed multifocal severe renal lymphoplasmacytic vasculitis, mostly affecting small arterioles, with fibrinoid degeneration of some vessel walls. Many small foci of gliosis were detected in the cerebral cortex. West Nile virus was demonstrated in the kidneys and cerebrum by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction. The described renal changes represent a novel pathological finding of WNV infection.
Lanthier
Isabelle
I
Faculté de médecine vétérinaire de l'Université de Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Hébert
Michel
M
Tremblay
Donald
D
Harel
Josée
J
Dallaire
André D
AD
Girard
Christiane
C
D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000821:virology; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000821:virology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D007668:Kidney / Q000821:virology; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000662:veterinary*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D019596:Wolves / Q000821:virology*