Clinical pathology of Australian bluetongue virus serotype 16 infection in merino sheep.

Abstract

Viraemic blood from an ox naturally infected with Australian bluetongue (BLU) virus serotype 16 was passaged twice in sheep. Twelve 2- to 4-years-old Merino ewes, negative in a bluetongue agar gel immunodiffusion test, were inoculated with viraemic blood from the second sheep passage. They were examined for 18 days and compared with a control group. Significant changes in haematological measurements, namely packed cell volume, total white cell count and lymphocyte count, and in plasma enzyme concentrations, namely aspartate transaminase and creatine kinase, occurred in the infected sheep. All infected sheep became sick. The antibody response, and clinical and necropsy findings were consistent with other reports of mild to moderate disease with Australian BLU serotypes.

• Authors: M Flanagan, S J Johnson, D Hoffmann, I G Polkinghorne, D J Reid, M A Shepherd
• Journal: Australian veterinary journal (Aust Vet J) Vol. 70 Issue 3 Pg. 101-4 (Mar 1993) ISSN: 0005-0423 [Print] England
• PMID: 8386503 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Viral
• Aspartate Aminotransferases
• Creatine Kinase

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Viral (analysis)
• Aspartate Aminotransferases (blood)
• Australia
• Bluetongue (blood, immunology, microbiology)
• Bluetongue virus (classification, immunology)
• Creatine Kinase (blood)
• Female
• Hematocrit (veterinary)
• Immunodiffusion (veterinary)
• Leukocyte Count (veterinary)
• Sheep