Immunohistochemical detection of peste des petits ruminants viral antigens in tissues from cases of naturally occurring pneumonia in goats

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an important viral disease of goats and sheep characterized by erosive stomatitis, enteritis, and pneumonia. But the pneumonia is the most frequently recorded lesion in PPR infections. In this study, the presence of PPR viral antigens in goat's pneumonia was investigated. For this purpose, a total of 1505 goat's lungs slaughtered in Bitlis and Van slaughterhouses were grossly examined and pneumonia was detected in 74 cases (4.91%). Lesions were more frequently encountered in anteroventral lobes than caudal lobes. Immunohistochemical (IHC) examinations were performed on 42 pneumonic lungs (except the verminous pneumonia). IHC staining of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were carried out by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) procedure. The presence of PPR viral antigens were detected in 17 (40%) out of 42 pneumonic lungs. Viral antigens were found most frequently in the cytoplasm and rarely in the nucleus, including bronchial glands, bronchial and bronchiolar epithelial cells, type II pneumocytes, syncytial cells, and alveolar macrophages. In conclusion, it was found that there was a close relationship between the pneumonia in goats and the presence of PPR viral antigens. The PPR incidence in pneumonic lungs of goats was detected to be very high in the present study performed in the region of Bitlis and Van. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.