Evidence of feline herpesvirus-1 DNA in the vestibular ganglion of domestic cats

Equid herpesvirus-1 Distribution in Equine Lymphoid and Neural Tissues 70 Days Post Infection

Equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) causes respiratory disease, abortion and myeloencephalopathy in horses worldwide. As member of the Alphaherpesvirinae, latency is key to EHV-1 epidemiology. EHV-1 latent infection has been detected in the trigeminal ganglion (TG), respiratory associated lymphoid tissue (RALT) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) but additional locations are likely. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of viral DNA throughout the equine body. Twenty-five horses divided into three groups were experimentally infected via intranasal instillation with one of three EHV-1 viruses and euthanized on Day 70, post infection. During necropsy, TG, various sympathetic/parasympathetic ganglia of head, neck, thorax and abdomen, spinal cord dorsal root ganglia, RALT, mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen and PBMC of each horse were collected. Genomic viral loads and L-(late) gene transcriptional activity in each tissue and PBMC were measured using qPCR. In addition, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was applied on neural parenchyma tissue sections. EHV-1 DNA was detected in many neural and lymphoid tissue sections, but not in PBMC. L-gene transcriptional activity was not detected in any sample, and translational activity was not apparent on IHC. Tissue tropism differed between the Ab4 wild type and the two mutant viruses.

Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and RNAscope in situ hybridization (RNA-ISH) as effective tools to diagnose feline herpesvirus-1-associated dermatitis

BACKGROUND

Felid herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1)-associated dermatitis is characterized by facial and nasal involvement; clinical and histopathological manifestations may overlap with other dermatitides.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the realibility of qRT-PCR-2^{- ΔΔC q} and RNAscope in situ hybridization (RNA-ISH) methods to diagnose FHV-1-associated dermatitis, in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues.

ANIMALS

Sixteen FFPE samples from cats with facial dermatitis and four controls were studied.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Based on histopathological features, cases were separated into: Group 1, samples with herpetic dermatitis (four); Group 2, samples with nonherpetic facial dermatitis (six); Group 3, samples with facial dermatitis of ambiguous nature (allergic or viral) (six); and Group 4, samples from healthy cats (four). A relative quantification using the 2^{- ΔΔC q} method was used to estimate the "upregulation" of each FHV-1 target viral gene copies (glycoprotein-B and thymidine-kinase) relative to reference gene. Detection of FHV-1 mRNA was performed using the RNAscope 2.5 detection kit.

RESULTS

By 2^{- ΔΔC q} analysis, upregulation of both FHV-1 genes was observed in all samples from Group 1 and two of six from Group 3. No upregulation was identified in samples from groups 2 and 4. Positive mRNA hybridization signal was observed in all cases from Group 1 and two cases of Group 3. No positivity was observed in samples from groups 2 and 4.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

QRT-PCR 2^-ΔΔCq analysis and RNA-ISH can identify the FHV-1 genome as causative agent of the associated dermatitis, even where inclusion bodies are not detectable. Both techniques are functional in retrospective studies, have greater specificity than conventional PCR, and may be proposed for research and diagnostic purposes.

Effects of physiologic concentrations of l-lysine on in vitro replication of feline herpesvirus 1

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of various concentrations of l-lysine on in vitro replication of feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1).

SAMPLE

Cultures of Crandell-Rees feline kidney (CRFK) cells.

PROCEDURES

CRFK cells were inoculated with FHV-1 and maintained in media with 20 combinations of l-arginine and l-lysine concentrations. Changes in cell viability were monitored by continuous measurement of electrical impedance of cultured cells and by observation of viral cytopathic effects. Viral load was determined by use of quantitative PCR assay in supernatants obtained from infected cultures at specified time points.

RESULTS

Increases in l-lysine concentration had no effect on the kinetics of cell death in FHV-1-infected cultures. There was also no significant effect (r(2) < 0.1) on viral DNA load for l-arginine concentrations ≥ 12 μg/mL There was a significant effect of increases in l-lysine concentration on viral DNA load in media supplemented with 6 μg of l-arginine/mL (mean ± SD slope, -4,641 ± 1,626 units; adjusted r(2) = 0.45). However, the difference between the lowest (1 × 10(6.28) copies/μL) and highest (1 × 10(6.86) copies/μL) FHV-1 DNA load in these media was < 1 logarithm.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The difference in FHV-1 DNA load was unlikely to be biologically important. Various l-lysine concentrations did not inhibit in vitro replication of FHV-1 at l-arginine concentrations sufficient to maintain cell growth. This conclusion was consistent with results of other studies in which investigators have not detected a consistently beneficial effect when l-lysine is administered to FHV-1-infected cats.