title: Diagnosis of clinical cases of the nervous form of Maedi-Visna in 4- and 6-month-old lambs.
abstract: The nervous form of Maedi-Visna (MV) infection was diagnosed in four lambs aged 4 and 6 months, belonging to three different Assaf flocks that were managed intensively for milk and meat production. The animals presented with hindleg ataxia that rapidly progressed to complete recumbency. Lesions consisted of a moderate to severe non-purulent encephalitis affecting mainly the cerebellar peduncles. MV virus was demonstrated in the damaged tissues by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction. The investigation demonstrated that the clinical presentation of the nervous form of MV which is reported to occur in adult sheep can also be observed in young animals.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología Animal, Medicina Animal (Anatomía Patológica), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain.
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benavides
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Pariente
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ferreras
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fuertes
authors.forename: J Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: García-Marín
authors.forename: Valentín
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pérez
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D011021:Pneumonia, Progressive Interstitial, of Sheep / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012756:Sheep; D014790:Visna-maedi virus