Virus isolated and immunofluorescence in different organs of pigs infected with hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus

Abstract

Hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (HEV; also designated vomiting and wasting disease virus) was inoculated oronasally in 26 colostrum-deprived pigs. Anorexia and vomition were seen after an incubation period of 4 to 6 days. In pigs killed during the incubation period or within 2 days after the onset of the clinical signs, HEV could be isolated regularly from the tonsils and the respiratory tract, irregularly from the digestive tract, rarely from the blood, and never from lymph nodes and spleen. The brainstem almost always contained virus after clinical signs appeared, but was only one positive during the incubation period. Olfactory bulb, cerebrum, cerebellum, and vagal nerve were also frequently virus positive in pigs which were ill when killed. The results of the examination by immunofluorescent antibody technique indicated that HEV multiplies in the epithelium lining the respiratory tract and the tonsillar crypts, in neuroepithelium of the nasal mucosa, and in neurons of the digestive tract. The neuronotropism of HEV was also shown by the presence of fluorescence in the perikaryon of neurons in the brainstem and in the trigeminal ganglion without the involvement of other cell types. The presence of viral antigens in the perikaryon of trigeminal sensory ganglion cells in pigs killed during the incubation period was considered as positive evidence for viral spread via nerves.