Naturally Acquired Canine Herpesvirus-Associated Meningoencephalitis

Canid alphaherpesvirus 1 (CHV) causes morbidity and mortality in susceptible puppies. While the neuropathology of experimentally infected puppies has been detailed, characterization of naturally acquired infections is limited. The aim of this study was to describe the histologic, immunohistochemical, and in situ hybridization features of CHV encephalitis in the dog. Six female and 11 male puppies ranging in age from stillborn to 57 days old were included. Histologically, lesions included multifocal glial nodules (16/17, 94%), meningeal infiltrates (15/17, 88%), and cerebellar cortical necrosis (6/9, 67%); however, robust inflammation was not a significant feature in any of the cases. Immunohistochemistry for CD3, CD20, MAC387, and Iba1 was performed. Although T cells predominated over B cells, the overall number of cells was small in all cases both within the glial nodules and the meninges. In 16 of 16 (100%) cases, glial nodules were diffusely immunoreactive for Iba1; however, limited or no immunoreactivity for MAC387 was present. In situ hybridization directed at the CHV thymidine kinase gene revealed CHV nucleic acid in the granule neurons of the cerebellar folia (8/9; 89%), endothelial cells in the meninges and parenchyma (12/17, 71%), and individual randomly distributed neurons (6/17, 35%). These results clarify the pathology of naturally acquired CHV infection and indicate that developing cerebellar granule neurons are an important site of viral replication.