Ultrastructural glomerular changes in experimental infection with the classical swine fever virus

Ultrastructural studies of glomerular changes were performed on 16 pigs experimentally infected with a highly virulent strain of the classical swine fever virus. Our observations revealed the thickening of glomerular basement membranes, swelling of endothelial cells and cytoplasmic vacuolization within podocytes containing abundant viral particles. An early viral infection of podocytes was suggested as the cause of selective swelling of the foot processes of these cells with the consequent obliteration of the glomerular urinary spaces. To our knowledge this is the first report of ultrastructural evidence of classical swine fever virions infecting glomerular podocytes.