Pathological and Molecular Based Study of
Naturally Occurring Lentivirus Infection
Fazal Mahmood*, Ahrar
Khan, Muhammad Zargham Khan, Riaz Hussain, Shafia Tehseen Gul and
Abu Baker Siddique1
Department of Pathology, 1Institute
of Microbiology, University of Agriculture,
Faisalabad38040, Pakistan
*Corresponding author: fazalmahkhan@yahoo.com
Abstract
The present study describes the multicentric
lymphosarcoma associated with lymphoid interstitial pneumonia in indigenous
breeds of sheep and goats in
Pakistan. Serum samples from sheep (n=93) and
goats (n=129) were screened for ovine lentivirus using agar gel immunodiffusion
test. Overall, 7.52 and 3.87% seroprevalence was recorded in sheep and goat,
respectively. During necropsy of sheep (n=3) and goats (n=4), gross lesions
including dark color liver with multifocal whitish areas, unilaterally lungs
consolidation with granular appearance of cut surface were observed. Mediastinal
lymph nodes were swollen and arranged in chain like fashion. Histopathologically,
liver parenchyma exhibited extensive proliferation of neoplastic cells of
lymphocytic series. Metastatic cells in the form of follicular pattern in the
lungs, spleen and mediastinal lymph nodes were also observed. Brain tissue
exhibited degenerative changes in the neuron and perivascular cuffing. The PCR
product size approximately 300 bp from lung tissue confirmed viral infection.