Some characteristics of a natural infection by parainfluenza-3 virus in a group of calves.

Parainfluenza-3 (Pi3) virus infection in a group of 25 calves is described. The virus was isolated from the lungs of four calve at days 6, 7, 13 and 55 after they were housed together at birth. Intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were seen by light microscopy in bronchial and bronchiolar epithelial cells of two of these calves. Virus infected cells were detected by electron microscopy in three of the four calves. Haemagglutination inhibition antibodies to Pi3 virus were found in the sera of the calves. Despite the virus being present in the group from one week, a significant increase in antibody titre was found in only two animals although all the calves were in contact with each other during the study period. The pulmonary lesions in the four infected calves consisted of a bronchitis and bronchiolitis with infiltration of the walls and lumena of these structures by neutrophils and an adjacent neutrophil infiltration of alveoli some of which were collapsed.