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Title: EVALUATION OF THE PATHOGENIC POTENTIAL OF DEER ADENOVIRUS INFECTION IN CALVES

Author
item WOODS, L - UNIV CALIFORNIA/DAVIS
item LEHMKUHL, HOWARD
item PARKER, J - UNIV CALIFORNIA/DAVIS
item HOBBS, LEA
item MANZER, M - UNIV CALIFORNIA/DAVIS

Submitted to: American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2005
Publication Date: 11/5/2005
Citation: Woods, L., Lehmkuhl, H.D., Parker, J., Hobbs, L.A., Manzer, M. 2005. Evaluation of the pathogenic potential of deer adenovirus infection in calves [abstract]. American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. p.30.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Five 3-month-old Jersey calves and three Holstein calves were inoculated with deer adenovirus, known to produce signs and lesions in deer fawns, via mucosal membranes and monitored for clinical signs for six weeks and 10 days, respectively. The neonatal Jersey calves had received colostrum and the Holstein calves were colostrum-deprived. Pre-inoculation and post-inoculation serum samples were tested for antibody to deer adenovirus (DAV), bovine adenovirus type 6 (BAV-6), bovine adenovirus type 7 (BAV-7) and goat adenovirus type 1 (GAV-1). Virus isolation was performed on kidney, nasal secretion and/or lung homogenates in fetal white-tailed deer lung cells. Negatively stained preparations of feces were examined weekly using a Zeiss 10 electron microscope and weekly blood samples were collected for CBCs. Full necropsies were performed on all calves. A complete selection of tissues was evaluated for microscopic changes, and immunohistochemistry was performed on all tissues using a polyclonal antibody to deer adenovirus. No clinical signs were observed in the calves during the study period. Colostrum-deprived calves mounted an antibody response while the Jersey calves that had received colostrum did not. Calves that had received colostrum had high antibody titers to BAV-7 and GAV-1. No consistent gross or microscopic lesions were seen. Negatively stained preparations of feces did not demonstrate adenovirus. Immunohistochemistry results demonstrated rare cells with positively stained nuclei in some of the calves from both groups but virus was not isolated in fetal deer lung cells.