[Pathologic changes in the organs of sheep serologically positive for Maedi-Visna virus antibodies]

In the present paper the results are presented of pathomorphological examination of 38 sacrificed sheep with positive reactions to the Maedi-Visna disease. Lungs, mammary gland, joints and other organs with macroscopical lesions were subjected to histopathological examination. The CNS was examined by the method of a complete series of frontal sections. Diagnostics of M-V typical lesions revealed them in 87% of the examined sheep, in 55.2% of examined lungs, in 58.6% of examined mammary glands, 27.3% examined CNS and 4.7% examined joints. In 57.1% of the cases, M-V lesions of the lungs were complicated by simultaneous incidence of pulmonary adenomatosis, chronic purulent or granulomatous pneumonia. No clinical symptoms were found in a majority of sheep, while the M-V typical lesions of organs were not determined in about fifty percent of sheep. The observed morphological lesions corresponded to initial or medium progressive affection. A proof of precipitation antibodies and identification of typical M-V lesions in the organs are needful for determination of M-V diagnosis. Incidence and character of lesions indicate the need of persistent implementation of virus-eradication treatments on sheep farms.