Lentivirosis in a goat flock from an urban area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Veterinary pathology, small ruminants, Lentivirus, arthritis, mastitis, interstitial pneumonia.
Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) are of global distribution and economic importance to sheep and goat producers. This study investigated the clinical pathology and etiology of lentivirus infection in a goat herd in an urban area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methodology: The 30-month study was conducted with 26 domestic goats with a history of SRLV infection. The goats were clinically evaluated through physical examination, radiographs, hematological and biochemical tests, necropsy and histopathology, and molecular and phylogenetic analyses. Results: The results discovered the Caprine Arthritis and Encephalitis Virus (CAEV) in 11 goats, with the detection of viral RNA in blood and tissue samples. The clinical signs varied from lameness and increased joint volume to mastitis and respiratory distress. Necropsy and histopathology of three goats revealed lesions typical of CAE infection. Viral sequencing similarly detected the B1 clade of a lentivirus with high equivalence between samples from different goats. Sequencing demonstrated that the virus had a nucleotide identity with CAEV strains reported in goats in Spain and the United States of America. Conclusion: We described clinical disease related to clade B1 CAEV infection in southeastern Brazil leading to economic losses. We reinforce the need for control measures to prevent the spread of small ruminant lentiviruses in Brazil.