West Nile virus infection in farmed American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in Florida
West Nile virus infection in farmed American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in Florida
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DOI：
10.7589/0090-3558-41.1.96
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发表时间：
2005-01-01
影响因子：
1.3
通讯作者：
Komar, N
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Jacobson, ER;Ginn, PE;Komar, N
2002年9月和10月，在美国佛罗里达州的一个短吻鳄养殖场发生了一起神经系统疾病的动物流行病。对3只患病美洲短吻鳄实施了安乐死并进行了尸检，结果证实感染了西尼罗病毒。显微镜下最显著的病变是中度嗜异性性至淋巴浆细胞性脑膜炎脑脊髓炎、坏死性肝炎和脾炎、胰腺坏死、心肌变性伴坏死、轻度间质性肺炎、嗜异性性坏死性口炎和舌炎。免疫组织化学鉴定WNV抗原，在肝脏、胰腺、脾脏和脑中染色最强烈。病毒分离和逆转录聚合酶链反应RNA检测证实血浆和组织样本感染西尼罗河病毒。在组织中，肝脏的病毒载量最高（最大10（8.9）个斑块形成单位[PFU]/0.5cm(3)），而脑和脊髓的病毒载量最低（最大10（6.6）个PFU/0.5cm(3)）。血浆病毒滴度在10(3.6)~ 10(6.5)PFU/ml之间，超过了感染致倦库蚊所需的阈值（10(5)PFU/ml）。因此，短吻鳄可能是西尼罗河病毒的脊椎动物扩增宿主。
In September and October 2002, an epizootic of neurologic disease occurred at an alligator farm in Florida (USA). Three affected American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) were euthanatized and necropsied, and results confirmed infection with West Nile virus (WNV). The most significant microscopic lesions were a moderate heterophilic to lymphoplasmacytic meningoencephalomyelitis, necrotizing hepatitis and splenitis, pancreatic necrosis, myocardial degeneration with necrosis, mild interstitial pneumonia, heterophilic necrotizing stomatitis, and glossitis. Immunohistochemistry identified WNV antigen, with the most intense staining in liver, pancreas, spleen, and brain. Virus isolation and RNA detection by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction confirmed WNV infection in plasma and tissue samples. Of the tissues, liver had the highest viral loads (maximum 10(8.9) plaque-forming units [PFU]/0.5cm(3)), whereas brain and spinal cord had the lowest viral loads (maximum 10(6.6) PFU/0.5cm(3) each). Virus titers in plasma ranged from 10(3.6) to 10(6.5) PFU/ml, exceeding the threshold needed to infect Culex quinquejasciatus mosquitoes (10(5) PFU/ml). Thus, alligators may serve as a vertebrate amplifying host for WNV.