TY - JOUR
T1 - Fatal human herpesvirus type 1 infection in a white-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar)
AU - Landolfi, Jennifer A.
AU - Wellehan, James F.X.
AU - Johnson, April J.
AU - Kinsel, Michael J.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2005/7
Y1 - 2005/7
N2 - This report documents a case of spontaneous, fatal, and likely recrudescent human herpesvirus type 1 (HHV-1) infection in a captive white-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar) confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). An approximately 44-year-old, captive, female, white-handed gibbon with a history of recurrent conjunctivitis and occasional seizures became acutely weak, disoriented, and ataxic. A postictal state was suspected by caretakers and veterinary staff, and euthanasia was ultimately elected because of lack of clinical improvement with supportive care. No significant abnormalities were detected at necropsy. Histologically, sections of cerebrum and midbrain contained minimal to mild, multifocal lymphoplasmacytic meningoencephalitis with numerous intranuclear viral inclusions within astrocytes and some neurons. The presumptive diagnosis of HHV-1-induced encephalitis was strengthened by nested PCR amplification of a segment of the herpesvirus DNA polymerase gene. Sequences from this region have been found to be unique to each herpesvirus species, thus identifying HHV-1 as the likely etiologic agent in this case. Positive HHV-1 serology from several years before the terminal episode suggested that the disease was most likely due to recrudescence of latent HHV-1 infection.
AB - This report documents a case of spontaneous, fatal, and likely recrudescent human herpesvirus type 1 (HHV-1) infection in a captive white-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar) confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). An approximately 44-year-old, captive, female, white-handed gibbon with a history of recurrent conjunctivitis and occasional seizures became acutely weak, disoriented, and ataxic. A postictal state was suspected by caretakers and veterinary staff, and euthanasia was ultimately elected because of lack of clinical improvement with supportive care. No significant abnormalities were detected at necropsy. Histologically, sections of cerebrum and midbrain contained minimal to mild, multifocal lymphoplasmacytic meningoencephalitis with numerous intranuclear viral inclusions within astrocytes and some neurons. The presumptive diagnosis of HHV-1-induced encephalitis was strengthened by nested PCR amplification of a segment of the herpesvirus DNA polymerase gene. Sequences from this region have been found to be unique to each herpesvirus species, thus identifying HHV-1 as the likely etiologic agent in this case. Positive HHV-1 serology from several years before the terminal episode suggested that the disease was most likely due to recrudescence of latent HHV-1 infection.
KW - Gibbons
KW - Human herpesvirus type 1
KW - Meningoencephalitis
KW - PCR
KW - Recrudescence
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U2 - 10.1177/104063870501700412
DO - 10.1177/104063870501700412
M3 - Article
C2 - 16130997
AN - SCOPUS:22344450780
SN - 1040-6387
VL - 17
SP - 369
EP - 371
JO - Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation
JF - Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation
IS - 4
ER -