Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #123932
Title: OVINE ADENOVIRUS SEROTYPE 7 (OADV-7) ASSOCIATED MORTALITY IN LAMBS IN THE UNITED STATES

Author
item DEBEY, BRAD - KS STATE UNIV., MANHATTAN
item LEHMKUHL, HOWARD
item CHARD-BERGSTROM, C - KS STATE UNIV., MANHATTAN
item HOBBS, LEA

Submitted to: Veterinary Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/21/2001
Publication Date: 12/10/2001
Citation: DEBEY, B.M., LEHMKUHL, H.D., CHARD-BERGSTROM, C., HOBBS, L.A. OVINE ADENOVIRUS SEROTYPE 7 (OADV-7) ASSOCIATED MORTALITY IN LAMBS IN THE UNITED STATES. VETERINARY PATHOLOGY. 2001. V. 38(6). P. 644-648.

Interpretive Summary: Respiratory tract disease is an important cause of economic loss to the sheep industry. We isolated an adenovirus from samples collected from young lambs with loss of appetite, weakness, abdominal distention, and sudden death. The virus was characterized as an ovine adenovirus type 7; this is the first time that this virus has been isolated from sheep in the United States. This information is important for veterinary diagnosticians, and if the virus is demonstrated to be widespread in the United States, there may be a need to develop a vaccine.

Technical Abstract: Adenoviral infections were diagnosed in 3 neonatal lambs that died spontaneously, with no other etiologic agents identified in the lambs. Anorexia, weakness, abdominal distention, and sudden death were clinical signs that were observed. Microscopic lesions consisted of multifocal necrotizing hepatitis, multifocal subacute interstitial nephritis, and loss sof enterocytes from intestinal villi. Adenovirus inclusions were identified by light microscopy in the kidneys only. Adenoviral antigen, however, was identified in the liver, kidney, and intestine of the lambs by immunohistochemical techniques. An OAdV-7, not previously isolated from sheep in the United States, was characterized from these lambs.