Border disease of sheep: spinal cord morphometry.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Pathology
• Neuropathology
• Sheep Disease Research

Background:

• Border disease (BD) is a viral disease affecting sheep, caused by pestiviruses.
• Congenital infections can lead to developmental abnormalities in lambs.
• Understanding the neuropathological impact of BD is crucial for disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the effect of Border disease on spinal cord cross-sectional areas in lambs.
• To compare the impact on grey matter versus white matter.
• To investigate potential correlations between maternal exposure timing/dosage and spinal cord development.

Main Methods:

• Semi-automated planimetry was employed for quantitative analysis.
• Microscopy of paraffin-embedded spinal cord sections was performed.
• Measurements were taken at specific spinal cord segments (C4, C8, T6, L4) in affected and control lambs.

Main Results:

• Spinal cord cross-sectional area was significantly reduced in lambs with Border disease.
• Both grey and white matter were affected, with white matter showing more severe reduction.
• Reductions were consistent across all examined spinal cord levels.
• A trend towards smaller spinal cords with earlier gestation exposure or higher viral doses was noted, but not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• Border disease virus infection during early gestation significantly impairs spinal cord development in lambs.
• White matter appears to be more vulnerable to the effects of BD virus.
• Further research may be warranted to explore dose-dependent and gestational timing effects.