Lymphadenopathy and non-suppurative meningo-encephalitis in calves experimentally infected with bovine immunodeficiency-like virus (FL112)

Controversies and clarifications regarding bovine lentivirus infections

“…Results of a recent study 34 confirm that lymphadenopathy is associated with experimental BIV infection. Under certain environmental stresses, numerous secondary infections may be associated with BIV infection of cattle 35 ; encephalitis, lymphoid tissue depletion, and secondary infections developed during a 7-year period in dairy cattle infected with BIV.…”

“…25, 35 Meningoencephalitis has been observed as early as 1 year after experimental BIV infection of BLV-free calves. 34 There were no distinctive clinical signs of nervous system disease observed in 1 herd with naturally occurring BIV infection, although ataxia or paraplegia may be evident in some BIV-infected cattle. 39…”

“…9,25,34 In initial experimental BIV infections of colostrum-deprived calves, infected calves developed leukocytosis and peripheral lymphadenopathy characterized histologically by lymphoid follicular hyperplasia. 9 The calves in that experiment were studied for < 1 year.…”

“…Follow-up experimental inoculations of cattle confirmed lymphoid follicular hyperplasia in lymph nodes, hemal nodes, spleen, tonsils, Peyer' s patches, and gut-associated lymphoid tissue. 34 Overall evidence derived from long-term studies suggests that BIV infection progresses sequentially from blood to lymphoid organs. 25 Some authors conclude that the lymphoid changes seen in BIV infection are similar to those found in early infection with HIV.…”

The antibody response of cattle infected with bovine immunodeficiency virus to peptides of the viral transmembrane protein.

“…This 19-month-old calf was seropositive by IFA and PCR-positive by 14 days after inoculation and BIV was recovered from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (Venables et al, 1997). The animal exhibited signs of ataxia during the experiment and, on necropsy, was found to have an extensive lymphadenopathy and encephalitis (Munro et al, 1998). However, it has not yet been established whether animal CJ25 was immunodeficient.…”