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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2
pubmed:dateCreated
2007-2-23
pubmed:abstractText
Mortality in wild aquatic birds due to infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) is a rare event. During the recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Germany, mortality due to H5N1 HPAIV was observed among mute and whooper swans as part of a rapid spread of this virus. In contrast to earlier reports, swans appeared to be highly susceptible and represented the mainly affected species. We report gross and histopathology and distribution of influenza virus antigen in mute and whooper swans that died after natural infection with H5N1 HPAIV. At necropsy, the most reliable lesions were multifocal hemorrhagic necrosis in the pancreas, pulmonary congestion and edema, and subepicardial hemorrhages. Major histologic lesions were acute pancreatic necrosis, multifocal necrotizing hepatitis, and lymphoplasmacytic encephalitis with neuronal necrosis. Adrenals displayed consistently scattered cortical and medullary necrosis. In spleen and Peyer's patches, mild lymphocyte necrosis was present. Immunohistochemical demonstration of HPAIV nucleoprotein in pancreas, adrenals, liver, and brain was strongly consistent with histologic lesions. In the brain, a large number of neurons and glial cells, especially Purkinje cells, showed immunostaining. Occasionally, ependymal cells of the spinal cord were also positive. In the lungs, influenza virus antigen was identified in a few endothelial cells but not within pneumocytes. The infection of the central nervous system supports the view that the neurotropism of H5N1 HPAIV leads to nervous disturbances with loss of orientation. More investigations are necessary to clarify the mechanisms of the final circulatory failure, lung edema, and rapid death of the swans.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Mar
pubmed:issn
0300-9858
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
44
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
137-43
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2007
pubmed:articleTitle
Pathology of natural infections by H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in mute (Cygnus olor) and whooper (Cygnus cygnus) swans.
pubmed:affiliation
Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Boddenblick 5A, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany. Jens.Teifke@fli.bund.de
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article