Bovine viral diarrhea virus 1b fetal infection with extensive hemorrhage

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) 1b was isolated from tissues of a term bovine fetus with petechial hemorrhages noted throughout the body and placenta at autopsy. Fresh lung, kidney, thymus, and liver tissues were examined by direct fluorescent antibody testing and were positive for BVDV antigen and negative for bovine herpesvirus 1 antigen. An organ pool of fresh tissues was positive for noncytopathic (NCP) BVDV-1 by virus isolation. BVDV-1b was identified by sequencing of the 5'-UTR region of the genome. Fixed brain, placenta, thymus, lymph node, lung, kidney, skeletal muscle, liver, and bone marrow were positive for BVDV antigen by immunohistochemistry. Although BVDV hemorrhage and/or thrombocytopenia has been associated historically with NCP strains of BVDV-2, this case adds to more recent reports of BVDV-1 infections and hemorrhage in cattle. This BVDV-1b isolate should be investigated for its potential to cause hemorrhage in postnatal cattle.