An electron microscopic study of Aujeszky's disease

Summary

Sixteen calves were killed at intervals during the course of the disease from 48 h onwards after subcutaneous infection with Aujeszky's disease virus. Ultrastructural changes were evident in the spinal ganglia from 84 h post-inoculation and the intercostal nerves from 96 h post-inoculation. The cytopathic changes in the spinal ganglia consisted of neuronal degeneration, neuronophagia, Schwann cell degeneration and cellular infiltration. The neuronophagic nodule was invariably contained within an intact sheath of satellite cells. Changes in the intercostal nerves were less dramatic but cellular infiltration was frequently seen and occasional Schwann cells were degenerate. In the terminal stages of the disease demyelination was rarely observed. In the ganglion virus was invariably seen in degenerating neurons and occasionally in Schwann cells and monocytes. Satellite cells were rarely infected even when ensheathing an infected neuron. Extra-cellular virus was not observed in ganglia or nerves. Schwann cells and monocytes in the nerves were occasionally infected. Virus particles were seen in the axoplasm both in the ganglion and in the entire length of the nerve. The particles in the axoplasm varied in morphology; thus unenveloped and enveloped particles, and particles in the process of acquiring an envelope were recognised. It was concluded that the neural pathway of Aujeszky's disease virus is probablyvia the axoplasm.