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Experimental teschovirus encephalomyelitis in gnotobiotic pigs
M Yamada1, A Miyazaki1, Y Yamamoto1
1National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan.
Journal of Comparative Pathology
|March 22, 2014
Summary
Porcine teschovirus (PTV) causes central nervous system (CNS) disease in pigs. Intravenous infection leads to severe CNS lesions, with direct blood vessel invasion being a primary infection route.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Neurology
- Virology
- Pathology
Background:
- Porcine teschovirus (PTV) is associated with neurological disorders in pigs.
- Experimental models are crucial for understanding PTV pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally induce and characterize central nervous system (CNS) disease in gnotobiotic pigs using a specific PTV strain.
- To elucidate the routes of infection and lesion distribution of PTV in the porcine CNS.
Main Methods:
- Gnotobiotic pigs were inoculated intravenously, orally, or intranasally with the PTV Toyama 2002 strain.
- Histopathological, immunohistochemical, electron microscopy, and PCR analyses were performed on CNS tissues and other organs.
Main Results:
- Non-suppurative encephalomyelitis with characteristic CNS lesions (perivascular cuffing, gliosis, neuronal necrosis) was observed.
- Intravenous inoculation resulted in more severe CNS lesions than oral or intranasal routes.
- PTV antigens and RNA were detected in the CNS, tonsils, and intestines, with viral particles found in nerve and endothelial cells.
Conclusions:
- Direct invasion of the CNS via blood vessels is a significant route for PTV infection.
- Gnotobiotic pigs serve as a valuable model for studying PTV pathogenesis and developing control strategies.
