A head of cattle inoculated with the Fusan strain cattle type of the rinderpest virus was euthanized at 5 days after inoculation and submitted for histopathological examination. Lesions were mainly observed in the mucosal epithelia of the alimentary tract and the lymphoid tissues. In the lips, oral mucosa, tongue, and omasum, necrosis of the prickle cell layer of mucosal epithelium was observed with syncytia formation with cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. Similar lesions were seen in the muzzle, epiglottis, and eyelid. Single-cell necrosis or focal necrosis of mucosal epithelia was observed from the omasum to the large intestine, from the trachea to the bronchi, and in the lactiferous ducts, and it was especially severe from the ileocecum to the colon. Syncytia formation and cytoplasmic inclusion bodies were also observed. All lymphoid tissues had follicular necrosis, hyperplasia of reticular cells or mononuclear phagocyte system cells, and syncytia formation, with cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. The inclusion bodies were also often seen in nuclei. We recorded the characteristic histopathological findings of the lesions in cattle with the Fusan strain of the rinderpest.
(Research Team for Bacterial/Parasitic Diseases, TEL +81-29-838-7708)
