The pathogenesis of Aleutian disease of mink. 3. Immune complex arteritis.

Mink chronically infected with Aleutian disease virus develop a severe necrotizing arteritis affecting muscular arteries. Acute, subacute and healing lesions may be found. Extracellular deposits of host immunoglobulin and complement and, after acid elution, viral antigen can be shown by immunofluorescence technics in areas of fibrinoid necrosis and between proliferating endothelial cells. No intracellular viral antigen was found, indicating that the virus probably does not replicate in vascular structures. The arteritis of Aleutian disease appears to be the result of immune complex deposits in vessel walls.