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Review
. 2010 Sep;13(3):543-60.
doi: 10.1016/j.cvex.2010.05.010.

Ferret coronavirus-associated diseases

Jerry Murray  1 , Matti Kiupel, Roger K Maes
Affiliations
Review

Ferret coronavirus-associated diseases

Jerry Murray et al. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2010 Sep.

Abstract

A novel coronavirus of ferrets was first described in 1993. This coronavirus caused an enteric disease called epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE). Recently, a ferret systemic coronavirus (FRSCV)-associated disease was discovered. This new systemic disease resembles the dry form of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and has been reported in the United States and Europe. This article addresses the clinical signs, pathology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of this ferret FIP-like disease.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
FRSCV-associated granulomatous peritonitis. Multifocal to coalescing, white firm nodules (black arrows) of varying size are widely distributed throughout the mesentery following the vasculature. The mesenteric lymph nodes (arrowhead) are enlarged and contain similar nodules that replace normal parenchyma and commonly extend through the capsule. (Courtesy of Dodd Sledge, DVM, Lansing, MI, USA.)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
FRSCV-associated granulomatous hepatitis and fibrinous peritonitis. The hepatic capsule is covered by thick strands of fibrin (arrowhead). Multifocal, white firm nodules are randomly distributed over the hepatic serosa and commonly extend into the parenchyma. (Courtesy of Dodd Sledge, DVM, Lansing, MI, USA.)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
FRSCV-associated granulomatous lymphadenitis. Section of jejunum (black arrows) and cross section of a severely enlarged mesenteric lymph node (arrowhead). The lymph node parenchyma is effaced by severe, diffuse granulomatous inflammation. (Courtesy of Dodd Sledge, DVM, Lansing, MI, USA.)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
FRSCV-associated granulomatous peritonitis. The asterisk indicates the lumen of a cross section of jejunum. Circumferentially encompassing the small intestine and extending into the mesentery is severe granulomatous peritonitis (black arrows). Hematoxylin and eosin staining (orginal magnification ×4).
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
FRSCV-associated pyogranulomatous peritonitis. A higher magnification of the pyogranulomatous lesions of Fig. 4 shows the necrotic center composed of cellular debris and degenerative neutrophils (asterisk) surrounded by epithelioid macrophages (black arrows) followed by lymphocytes and plasma cells and a rim of fibroblasts. Hematoxylin and eosin staining (original magnification ×10).
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
FRSCV–associated granulomatous vasculitis and hepatitis. The inflammatory reaction is centered around vessels (asterisk) and composed of macrophages admixed with neutrophils, lymphocytes, and plasma cells that form thick perivascular cuffs (black arrows) that also migrate through the vascular wall and extend into the surrounding hepatic parenchyma. Hematoxylin and eosin staining (original magnification ×10).
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Ferret systemic coronavirus–associated granulomatous vasculitis. Granulomatous vasculitis is also observed in the brain and most commonly affects the periventricular and meningeal vessels (asterisk). Inflammatory cells (black arrows), including macrophages admixed with lymphocytes, plasma cells, and a few neutrophils, surround affected vessels and infiltrate the vascular media. Hematoxylin and eosin staining (original magnification ×40).
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Ferret systemic coronavirus-associated granulomatous vasculitis. Large numbers of macrophages within the inflammatory reaction surrounding and infiltrating into a large vessel (asterisk) contain abundant amounts of coronaviral antigen as indicated by the red chromogen (black arrows). Immunohistochemistry against coronavirus type 1 antigen using an alkaline phosphatase detection system, hematoxylin counterstaining (original magnification ×40).
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
S-gene genotype-specific diagnostic reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction on clinical samples. (A) Genotype 1–specific assay, 157-bp–positive amplicon observed only on lanes 2 through 6. (B) Genotype 2–specific assay, 147-bp–positive amplicon observed only on lanes 7 and 8. Lanes 1 and 10: 100-bp DNA ladder; Lane 2: FRSCV MSU-1–positive lung: Lane 3: FRSCV MSU-1–positive kidney; Lane 4: FRSCV WADL–positive lymph node; Lane 5: FRSCV MSU-S–positive spleen; Lane 6: FRSCV MSU-S–positive intestine; Lane 7: FRECV MSU-2–positive feces; Lane 8: FRECV 1202–positive feces; Lane 9: negative control (sterile water). MSU, Michigan State University; WADL, Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. (From Wise A, Kiupel M, Garner MM, et al. Comparative sequence analysis of the distal one-third of the genomes of a systemic and an enteric ferret coronavirus. Virus Res 2010;149:42–50; with permission.)
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