title: Experimental infection of common warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) and bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus) with classical swine fever virus II: A comparative histopathological study.
abstract: Wild African Suidae, the common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus), were experimentally infected with classical swine fever (CSF) virus following the diagnosis of CSF subtype 2.1 in domestic pigs in South Africa in 2005. No data regarding the susceptibility or potential lesions of these African wild suids are available. Seven subadult warthogs and six bushpigs were captured and infected intranasally with the South African isolate. Two in-contact control animals of the same species in each experiment verified intra-species transmission. Surviving animals were euthanized after 44 days. Formalin-fixed tissue samples collected from them as well as animals euthanized during the trial were evaluated for histological lesions. The warthogs, which were clinically normal throughout the study, developed histological lesions that were inconsistently present and sometimes subtle. Three individuals, including one in-contact control, developed distinct lympho-plasmacytic cuffing in their brains. Subtle lesions included scant lympho-plasmacytic infiltration of various organs, occasionally accompanied by perivascular cuffing. In contrast, the bushpigs developed overt clinical signs similar to CSF in domestic pigs. Four of six animals, including two in-contact controls, died or were euthanized during the trial. On postmortem examination, intestinal necrosis and ulceration, purulent rhinitis and pneumonia were present. Affected animals developed lymphoid necrosis and depletion whilst surviving individuals showed perivascular cuffing in multiple organs. From the present work, we conclude that these wild Suidae are susceptible to CSF virus and intra-species transmission under experimental conditions can occur.
authors.affiliation: Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Laboratory, Private Bag X 5020, Stellenbosch, South Africa. sophetteg@elsenburg.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gers
authors.affiliation: Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Laboratory, Private Bag X 5020, Stellenbosch, South Africa Transboundary Animal Disease Programme, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, South Africa Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw, UK Section of Pathology, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vosloo
authors.affiliation: Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Laboratory, Private Bag X 5020, Stellenbosch, South Africa Transboundary Animal Disease Programme, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, South Africa Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw, UK Section of Pathology, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Drew
authors.affiliation: Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Laboratory, Private Bag X 5020, Stellenbosch, South Africa Transboundary Animal Disease Programme, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, South Africa Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw, UK Section of Pathology, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lubisi
authors.affiliation: Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Laboratory, Private Bag X 5020, Stellenbosch, South Africa Transboundary Animal Disease Programme, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, South Africa Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw, UK Section of Pathology, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pardini
authors.affiliation: Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Laboratory, Private Bag X 5020, Stellenbosch, South Africa Transboundary Animal Disease Programme, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, South Africa Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw, UK Section of Pathology, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006691:Classical Swine Fever / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D006692:Classical Swine Fever Virus / Q000502:physiology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D013019:South Africa; D013552:Swine