title: Fatal bluetongue virus infection in an alpaca (Vicugna pacos) in California.
abstract: In October 2008, a 15-year-old female alpaca (Vicugna pacos) housed at a breeding farm in northern California died after a brief illness characterized by sudden onset of weakness, recumbency, and respiratory distress. Postmortem examination revealed severe hydrothorax and hydropericardium, marked pulmonary edema, and acute superficial myocardial hemorrhage affecting the left ventricle. Bluetongue virus (BTV) was detected in the spleen by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and confirmed by sequence analysis. No antibodies against BTV were detected in the serum using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, confirming acute, fulminant BTV infection.
authors.affiliation: California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California Davis, West Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616, USA. jortega@cahfs.ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Crossley
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dechant
authors.forename: Clifton P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Drew
authors.forename: N James
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Maclachlan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001819:Bluetongue / Q000473:pathology*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002161:Camelids, New World; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology