Caprine arthritis-encephalitis. Virus isolation and identification in goat herds in Italy.

Caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) was isolated by explant cultures of carpal synovial membrane, udder, lymph-nodes, lung and choroid plexus from six goats in two different herds with histories of arthritis-encephalitis. The virus was also isolated from milk, heparinized blood and carpal synovial fluid, using secondary goat synovial membrane cells. Virus identification was made by means of cytopathology, agar gel immunodiffusion test, immunofluorescence, in vitro host range and electron microscopy. Efficacy of different virus isolation procedures from live and necropsied animals are discussed.