Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Subpial Adeno-associated Virus 9 AAV9 Vector Delivery in Adult Mice
Published on: July 13, 2017
Astrovirus-Associated Polioencephalomyelitis in an Alpaca
Leonore Küchler1, Isabelle Rüfli2, Michel C Koch3
1Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, Universitiy of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
Abstract:
An 8-year-old alpaca was admitted to the emergency service of the Clinic for Ruminants in Bern due to a reduced general condition and progressive neurological signs. Despite supportive treatment, its condition deteriorated and the animal had to be euthanized. Histopathological analysis revealed a severe non-suppurative polioencephalomyelitis with neuronal necrosis, most likely of viral origin. We detected abundant neuronal labelling with antibodies directed against two different epitopes of Bovine Astrovirus CH13/NeuroS1 (BoAstV-CH13/NeuroS1), which is a common viral agent associated with non-suppurative encephalitis in Swiss cattle. These findings were further verified by detection of viral RNA by use of in-situ hybridization and real-time RT-PCR. Next generation sequencing revealed that the detected virus genome had a pairwise identity of 98.9% to the genome of BoAstV-CH13/NeuroS1. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an astrovirus-associated polioencephalomyelitis in an alpaca. These results point to the possibility of an interspecies transmission of BoAstV-CH13/NeuroS1.
Related Concept Videos
Poliomyelitis
Arboviral Encephalitis
Cryptococcal Meningitis
Toxoplasmosis
Encephalitis l: Introduction
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology

