[Clinical and pathological findings in a transmissible granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis (gMEM) in domestic goats]

Evaluation of intracerebral lesions in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Neuropathological findings and experimental data

In this paper we present the results of post-mortem examinations of the central nervous system in 61 male patients who died with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS); it includes 23 patients with reported neurological abnormalities at the time of presentation. The analysis revealed central nervous system (CNS) neoplasms (lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma) and a variety of inflammatory lesions (bacterial, fungal, protozoal and viral) in 32 cases. A total of 11 patients without opportunistic infections showed significant brain abnormalities characterized by microglial nodules and/or multinucleated giant cells, changes which are probably related to infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In addition, we describes results from a series of experiments designed to define the target cell population of HIV in the brain. The expression of CD4 complex--putative receptor for HIV--was investigated using short-term cultured brain cells taken from embryonic brain anlage and from different regions of fetal brain; glioma cells were also used. Cells derived from normal embryonic and fetal brain, as well as glioma cells, were examined with respect to their susceptibility to HIV. CD4 antigen expression could be demonstrated only on glioma cells of the permanent glioma line 85HG-59 comprised of cells with properties characteristic of astrocytes. Nevertheless, normal embryonic and fetal brain cells as well as glioma cells could be infected by HIV as documented by immunocytochemical methods and southern blot analysis. HIV infected brain cells showed reduced growth rate and altered growth pattern. This study emphasizes the diversity of HIV conditioned CNS impairments, suggesting that genomic variability of HIV may result in varying cell type preference of the virus. The experimental data indicate that CD4 expression in brain cells is probably not 'conditio sine qua non' for HIV susceptibility. The alterations of HIV-infected brain cells demonstrated provide further evidence for a direct involvement of HIV in the pathogenesis of AIDS-related neurological syndromes.

Caprine arthritis-encephalitis syndrome (CAE): a review

Caprine arthritis-encephalitis syndrome (CAE) is a viral disease of domestic goats characterized by chronic proliferative synovitis and periarthritis of adult goats while acute afebrile leukoencephalomyelitis is characteristic in goat kids. The causative agent, a Lentivirus, is transmitted from adult goats to kids via the colostrum or lateral transmission also occurs. The CAE virus is worldwide in distribution. All breeds and ages of goats are susceptible to infection, and once established it persists throughout the animal's life. A diagnosis can be based on the clinical signs, pathological changes, and demonstration of serum antibody levels. A vaccine is not available. Control or eradication of the disease is based on periodic serological testing, culling of all CAE antibody-positive animals, and separation of kids from adults following birth.

Goat visna virus: isolation of a retrovirus related to visna virus of sheep

Choroid plexus (GCP-3) cell cultures were prepared from an adult goat with symptoms of visna. The GCP-3 cell layer had partly fused into large multinucleated giant cells and electronmicrographs showed virus particles morphologically indistinguishable from sheep visna virus (SVV). A virus, designated goat visna virus (GVV), was subsequently purified from the GCP-3 cultures. The virus particles have a density of 1.15 g/ml and a high molecular weight RNA similar in size to that of SVV. A virion-associated DNA polymerase was identified which is stimulated to the same extent as the SVV polymerase by different synthetic RNA and DNA template-primer combinations and which shows the same Mg2+ and Mn2+ stimulation optima. Polypeptide analysis by SDS-PAGE revealed that the virion proteins of GVV and SVV had similar molecular weights. By immunodiffusion tests it was demonstrated that the major internal proteins of GVV and SVV are related. Consequently, we conclude that GVV should be classified as a retrovirus and that it is closely related to visna virus of sheep.

Chronic interstitial pneumonia in association with a granulomatous encephalitis in a goat

A 30-month-old British Alpine goat had clinical and pathological findings consistent with the diagnosis of a chronic interstitial pneumonia. The goat also had lesions in the brain similar to those described for granulomatous encephalomyelitis (GE) of goats. Lesions similar to GE were reproduced experimentally in feral goats following intracerebral inoculation of a lung homogenate from the naturally occurring case. The differential diagnosis of chronic interstitial pneumonia in goats, the differentiation of GE from viral leucoencephalomyelitis, and possible aetiological role of retroviruses in these diseases is discussed.

[Pathogenesis and clinical observations of papillomatous diseases of the skin and of the mucous membranes (author's transl)]

In the certain skin-warts, condylomata acuminata, oral-, laryngeal- and bronchial papillomas a morphologically identic virus is often seen. This virus belongs to the papova-virus-group and causes papillomas: Independant of their localization their clinical behaviour is very similar. Using cytophotometric methods we tried to find out if there are any signs which allow to reveal malignancy in continous reappearing papillomas.

[Pathology of the aorta in goats]

Examinaiion of the aortas of 26 goals, 2–10 years old, disclosed various kinds of pathological processes such as melanosis; intimal fat deposits, independent of age, with and without intimal fibrosis; plaque-like intimal fibrosis; calcification of elastic fibers; medial necrosis of the abdominal aorta of the older animals with and without calcification; cartilaginous and osseous metaplasia at the origin of the aorta; one case of thrombotic aortitis associated with thrombotic endocarditis. These results and comparative views of changes in vessels of other animals and of man are discussed.