Experimental Aujeszky's disease in blue foxes (Alopex lagopus)

Blue foxes were inoculated orally with Aujeszky's disease virus. Several foxes were killed at the onset of clinical signs and other animals spontaneously died. The incubation period ranged from 3 to 6 days and was followed by a short illness characterized by anorexia, depression and coma. At autopsy, no specific gross findings were observed. Microscopically, lesions included a non-suppurative meningoencephalitis with neuronal necrosis, gliosis, neuronophagia and mononuclear cell cuffing. Viral antigen was detected by immunoperoxidase technique.