Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
Vet Pathol. 2013 Jan;50(1):56-64. doi: 10.1177/0300985812442691. Epub 2012 Apr 16.
By using a new member of the neurotropic equine herpesviruses, EHV-9, which induced encephalitis in various species via various routes, an ocular infection model was developed in suckling hamsters. The suckling hamsters were inoculated with EHV-9 via the conjunctival route and were sacrificed after 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 144 hours (h) post inoculation (PI). Three horizontal sections of the brains, including the eyes and cranial cavity, were examined histologically to assess the viral kinetics and time-course neuropathological alterations using a panoramic view. At 6 to 24 h PI, there were various degrees of necrosis in the conjunctival epithelial cells, as well as frequent mononuclear cell infiltrations in the lamina propria and the tarsus of the eyelid, and frequent myositis of the eyelid muscles. At 96 h PI, encephalitis was observed in the brainstem at the level of the pons and cerebellum. EHV-9 antigen immunoreactivity was detected in the macrophages circulating in the eyelid and around the fine nerve endings supplying the eyelid, the nerves of the extraocular muscles, and the lacrimal glands from 6 h to 144 h PI. At 96 h PI, the viral antigen immunoreactivity was detected in the brainstem at the level of the pons and cerebellum. These results suggest that EHV-9 invaded the brain via the trigeminal nerve in addition to the abducent, oculomotor, and facial nerves. This conjunctival EHV-9 suckling hamster model may be useful in assessing the neuronal spread of neuropathogenic viruses via the eyes to the brain.
利用一种新的神经亲和性马疱疹病毒 9 型（EHV-9），通过不同途径感染多种物种引起脑炎，建立了幼仓鼠眼感染模型。幼仓鼠通过结膜途径接种 EHV-9，在接种后 6、12、24、36、48、72、96、120 和 144 小时（h）处死。对包括眼睛和颅腔在内的三个大脑水平切片进行组织学检查，使用全景视图评估病毒动力学和时间进程神经病理学改变。在 6 至 24 h PI 时，结膜上皮细胞有不同程度的坏死，以及固有层和眼睑的跗骨中频繁的单核细胞浸润，以及眼睑肌肉的频繁肌炎。在 96 h PI 时，在桥脑和小脑水平观察到脑干脑炎。在 6 至 144 h PI 时，在眼睑和周围供应眼睑的精细神经末梢、眼外肌神经和泪腺的循环巨噬细胞中检测到 EHV-9 抗原免疫反应性。在 96 h PI 时，在桥脑和小脑水平的脑干中检测到病毒抗原免疫反应性。这些结果表明，EHV-9 通过三叉神经侵入大脑，除了展神经、动眼神经和面神经。这种结膜 EHV-9 幼仓鼠模型可能有助于评估通过眼睛向大脑传播的神经致病性病毒。
