Detection of an Antigenic Group 2 Coronavirus in an Adult Alpaca with Enteritis

Abstract

Antigenic group 2 coronavirus was detected in a fecal sample of an adult alpaca by reverse transcription-PCR. The presence of alpaca coronavirus (ApCoV) in the small intestine was demonstrated by immune histochemistry with an antinucleocapsid monoclonal antibody that reacts with group 2 coronaviruses. Other common causes of diarrhea in adult camelids were not detected. We conclude that nutritional stress may have predisposed the alpaca to severe ApCoV infection. CASE REPORTA 4-year-old female alpaca was presented to the Oklahoma State University Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (BVMTH) for weight loss and a 24-h history of anorexia and diarrhea along with three other female alpacas. She was 1 of a herd of 42 alpacas that had been purchased approximately 7 weeks earlier. The recently purchased alpacas were added to an established herd of approximately 20 alpacas. This alpaca, as well as a few others, was thin when purchased and, according to owner records, had lost approximately 30 pounds prior to presentation to the BVMTH. The alpacas had recently been switched from a commercial alpaca feed that the original owner had been using to a commercially available no-choke feed (Pac-A-Nutrition Alpaca Crunch). They also were eating free-choice grass hay that had recently been purchased from a new source. A commercial alpaca mineral (Evans VitaminMineral Blend E) was available to all of the animals at all times. The owners had noticed that there were a few animals in the new herd that were not consuming the new feed or the mineral that was accessible to them. These animals, as well as some which were eating the feed, hay, and mineral readily, appeared to be losing weight as well.On physical examination, the alpaca was depressed but responsive, with a body condition score of 1/10, muscle wasting, and cachexia. The alpaca's incisors were extremely overgrown, and she had retained deciduous teeth. There were areas of alopecia over the dorsum of the muzzle, feet, and ears; the fiber was dull and easily epilated. The alpaca had profuse, foul-smelling, watery diarrhea. Differential diagnoses considered in this case included parasitism, salmonellosis, bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection, Johne's disease, toxins (plants, heavy metals such as arsenic and lead), alpaca coronavirus (ApCoV) infection, and colibacillosis.Blood was collected via jugular venipuncture and submitted for a blood chemistry panel (Hitachi 747-100), a complete blood count (CBC; Bayer Advia 120), fibrinogen level measurement, a clinical nutrition/serum inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mineral panel, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) antibody detection by agar gel immunodiffusion, lead concentration measurement with a lead care analyzer, arsenic analysis by an ICP mineral panel, BVDV PCR, and colloidal osmotic pressure measurement. The initial CBC revealed leukopenia (1.4 ϫ 10 3 ; reference range, 8.3 ϫ 10 3 to 18.3 ϫ 10 3 ), marked neutropenia (154/ l; reference range, 4,000 to 16,000/ l), and nonregenerative anem...

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Expresión de Defensinas en Yeyuno de Crías de Alpacas (Vicugna pacos) con Enteropatías

“…Últimamente se ha determinado la presencia de rotavirus y coronavirus como patógenos virales asociados a diarreas en alpacas (Genova et al, 2008). Esta diversidad de patógenos son capaces de estimular la respuesta inmune innata en la mucosa intestinal induciendo la expresión de péptidos antimicrobianos (defensinas) como se ha determinado en otros animales domésticos (Montaño y Vargas, 2002).…”

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