Ultrastructural aspects of experimental swinepox with special reference to inclusion bodies

Abstract

A light and electron microscopic study was performed on pox-like epidermal lesions in an experimentally infected pig. Light microscopical investigation of semithin sections revealed the presence of nuclear vacuoles and of different types of cytoplasmic inclusions. In electron microscopical studies large numbers of both immature and mature virus particles and the cytological changes indicative of pox virus infection were observed. Various types of intra-cytoplasmic inclusions -- i.e. fibrillar inclusions, crystalloid-containing dense inclusions, complex membraneous inclusions and dense homogeneous inclusions -- were encountered in addition to viroplasms and nuclear vacuoles. Because of the presence of vacuoles in nuclei of stratum spinosum cells the diagnosis swine pox by swinepox virus was most probable. These nuclear vacuoles have not been described in swine pox caused by vaccinia virus, the only other known cause of pox in swine.