ABSTRACT
Human herpesvirus type 1 (HHV-1) is widely dispersed among the human population. Although infection is often asymptomatic in humans, nonhuman primates develop a severe and often fatal infection. In August 2006, 13 black-tufted marmosets (Callithrix penincillata) from a group of 14 presented with clinical apathy, anorexia, and ataxia. Physical examination revealed conjunctivitis, erosive or ulcerative lesions on the skin, and swollen lymph nodes. Of the 14 animals captured, 10 died. Grossly, ulcers and erosions were observed on the skin of face, nasal planum, lips, and oral mucosa. Histologically, superficial vesicular and erosive stomatitis with associated basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in the squamous epithelium were observed. Swabs from oral lesions and tissue samples from necropsied animals were positive for HHV-1 by nested polymerase chain reaction for eight animals.
Subject(s)
Callithrix , Disease Outbreaks/veterinary , Herpes Simplex/veterinary , Herpesvirus 1, Human/isolation & purification , Monkey Diseases/epidemiology , Animals , Animals, Wild/virology , Brazil/epidemiology , Callithrix/virology , Female , Herpes Simplex/epidemiology , Herpes Simplex/pathology , Male , Monkey Diseases/pathologyABSTRACT
Psittacid herpesvirus (PsHV) was isolated from 41 birds kept in captivity in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais/Brazil using chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) cell cultures. For this study, leukocytes or cloacal swabs of live birds were used. Also, portions of liver, spleen or kidney from birds collected at necropsy were utilized for these tests. PCR tests confirmed the presence of PsHV in 100% of samples. Thirty-three of the PCR products were sequenced and the results disclosed a 99% and 100% identity when compared with other sequences PsHV-1 (AY372243.1 and AF261756.1), previously deposited in GenBank. In addition, histopathology was performed and 19 of the 29 birds contained random multifocal lymphoplasmacytic hepatitis with necrotic foci, suggestive of viral infection. Three samples were examined by electron microscopy to visualize the viral particles obtained from cell culture. The viral structures measured 269 nm in average, had envelopes with an icosahedral capsid and tegument, consistent with herpesvirus. Thus, a total of 41 isolates were obtained from PsHV cell cultivation in CEF, confirming the circulation of the virus between parrots kept in captivity in Belo Horizonte, and affirming the importance of further studies in this area.
Subject(s)
Bird Diseases/virology , Herpesviridae Infections/veterinary , Herpesviridae/isolation & purification , Leukocytes/virology , Parrots/virology , Animals , Base Sequence , Bird Diseases/pathology , Brazil , Cells, Cultured , Chick Embryo , Cloaca/pathology , Cloaca/virology , DNA, Viral/genetics , Fibroblasts/virology , Herpesviridae/genetics , Herpesviridae/ultrastructure , Herpesviridae Infections/virology , Leukocytes/pathology , Liver/pathology , Liver/virology , Phylogeny , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Spleen/pathology , Spleen/virologyABSTRACT
The current study describes the clinical, gross, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical findings of a T-cell lymphoma in a captive porcupine (Coendou prehensilis), a species typically seen in the tropical forests of Brazil. At necropsy, extensive neoplastic involvement was observed in the cervical lymph nodes, with extension into the salivary gland. The spleen was mildly enlarged, and neoplastic nodules were grossly evident in the liver and right kidney. Histologically, sheets of large and markedly pleomorphic round cells were observed in the cervical lymph nodes, lung, liver, spleen, and kidney. The neoplastic cells were positive for cluster of differentiation (CD)3 and negative for CD79a by immunohistochemistry.
