title: Tracheal organ cultures as a useful tool to study Felid herpesvirus 1 infection in respiratory epithelium.
abstract: Felid herpesvirus 1 (FeHV-1) is an important feline pathogen of the upper respiratory tract which can be identified in clinical cases by virus isolation and PCR. Studies on the effect and mode of spread of FeHV-1 in the respiratory epithelium, however, have previously only been performed in infected cats. Feline tracheal organ cultures which were inoculated with FeHV-1 at varying multiplicity of infection (MOI) were established. A dose-dependent response was observed. Low MOIs induced multifocal infection in the otherwise viable respiratory epithelium, which allowed monitoring of viral growth over several days. Therefore, tracheal organ cultures represent a suitable model for further study of the morphological and functional effects of FeHV-1 on respiratory epithelium, mimicking the in vivo situation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZJ, UK. gail.leeming@liverpool.ac.uk
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leeming
authors.forename: Marina L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Meli
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cripps
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaughan-Thomas
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: Rosalind
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gaskell
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kipar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000821:virology*; D014132:Trachea; D018140:Varicellovirus / Q000254:growth & development*