Vasculitis associated with ovine progressive pneumonia virus infection in sheep.

Vasculitis, involving small muscular arteries and arterioles, was found in 5 of 18 sheep naturally infected with ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP) virus and in 5 of 11 sheep experimentally infected with OPP virus. In order of frequency, arterial lesions were seen in carpal joint capsules, kidneys, meninges, brains, lungs, and tracheas. The lesions were intramural edema and hemorrhage, mononuclear cell infiltration, fibrinoid necrosis of media, and thrombosis. The vascular lesions were frequently associated with interstitial pneumonitis, arthritis, and encephalitis also induced by OPP virus.