Ex vivo modeling of feline herpesvirus replication in ocular and respiratory mucosae, the primary targets of infection.
Feline herpesvirus 1 (FeHV-1) is a major cause of rhinotracheitis and ocular diseases in cats. In the present study, the viral replication at the primary infection sites was studied using feline respiratory and ocular mucosa explants. The explants of three cats were maintained in an air-liquid culture up to 96 hours without loss of viability. After inoculation with FeHV-1 (C27), no evidence of infection was noted in corneal epithelium, while plaque-wise replication was observed in conjunctival and tracheal mucosae beginning from 24 h post inoculation (hpi). The viral plaque diameters increased over time in trachea and conjunctiva and were larger in tracheal explants than in conjunctival explants at 48 hpi. FeHV-1 penetrated the basement membrane in conjunctival and tracheal explants between 24 and 48 hpi. At 48 and 72 hpi, viral invasion was going deeper in tracheal explants than in conjunctival explants. Our study indicates that FeHV-1 has a better capacity to invade the respiratory mucosa than the conjunctival mucosa, and prefers the conjunctiva, but not the cornea as a portal of entry during ocular infection.
Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Yewei
Y
Li
Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Jolien
J
Van Cleemput
Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Yu
Y
Qiu
Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Vishwanatha R A P
VR
Reddy
Dierenartsencentrum Vaccavet, Gravin Madeleine d'Alcantaralaan 41, 9971 Lembeke, Belgium.
Bart
B
Mateusen
Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: Hans.Nauwynck@UGent.be.
Hans J
HJ
Nauwynck
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000821:virology*; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000502:physiology*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000821:virology*; D013997:Time Factors; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014776:Virus Cultivation; D014779:Virus Replication
Explants; Feline herpesvirus; Ocular mucosa; Pathogenesis; Respiratory mucosa