Systemic Adenovirus Infection Associated with High Mortality in Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in California

Abstract

Seventeen counties in northern California experienced epizootics of high mortality in the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) population during the latter half of 1993. Thirteen deer submitted to the California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System as part of this natural die-off had systemic adenovirus infection. Pulmonary edema was present in all 13 deer. Erosions, ulceration, and abscessation of the upper alimentary tract occurred in 7/13 deer. Four of 13 deer had hemorrhagic enteritis. All 13 deer had widespread systemic vasculitis with endothelial intranuclear inclusions. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled antibody directed against bovine adenovirus type 5 bound to antigen in endothelial cells. Adenovirus was identified by transmission electron microscopy within the nuclei of endothelial cells in 6/6 deer examined. An adenovirus was isolated from lung homogenates of one deer that were cultured on black-tailed deer pulmonary artery endothelial cells. With the exception of the intranuclear inclusions evident on histologic evaluation, gross and histologic changes were similar to those described for bluetongue virus infection and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus infection in white-tailed deer. Nine additional deer were emaciated and had pharyngeal abscesses with focal vasculitis, which may represent the chronic affects of previous nonfatal adenovirus infection.

Evaluation of the Pathogenic Potential of Cervid Adenovirus in Calves

“…Virus isolation results on nasal sections and lung homogenates from calves 6 to 8 were negative. There were no gross lesions or microscopic lesions in the 3 inoculated calves that would be consistent with gross and microscopic lesions previously described in cervid adenovirus-infected deer [11][12][13][14] and as seen in the positive control fawns in the present study. Immunohistochemistry results did not demonstrate OdAdV antigen in any of the tissues examined microscopically.…”

“…Infected animals develop systemic vasculitis resulting in pulmonary edema and/or hemorrhagic enteropathy (systemic infection), necrotizing lesions confined to the upper alimentary tract (localized infection), or both. 1,[11][12][13][14] This novel adenovirus is a distinct member of the Atadenovirus genus of the Adenoviridae family but is closely related antigenically to ovine adenovirus type 7 (OAdV-7), goat adenovirus type 1 (GAdV-1), and bovine adenovirus type 7 (BAdV-7). 5,15 Although OdAdV has never been identified as the cause of death in any traditional domestic livestock species, it is important to rule out the possibility of OdAdV clinical and subclinical infection in livestock.…”

Population Health of Fallow Deer (Dama Dama) on Little St. Simons Island, Georgia, Usa

“…Adenovirus infections in North American cervids have been mostly limited to mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and black-tailed deer (O. h. columbianus) in California (Davidson and Nettles, 1997). In 1993, high mortality of mule deer in Northern California, with fatal pulmonary edema, was linked to bovine adenovirus type 5 (Woods et al, 1996). Adenovirus type 5 was also associated with fatal pulmonary edema in white-tailed deer on an Iowa game farm (Sorden et al, 2000).…”

“…However, since that time, there have been only anecdotal records of white-tailed deer sightings on the island, with none reported from [2002][2003][2004][2005][2006]. Additionally, fallow deer coexisted for varying lengths of time with cattle, goats, or feral horses on LSSI between 1927 and1996. Health surveys have been conducted for introduced fallow deer populations in Kentucky (Davidson et al, 1985), California (Riemann et al, 1979), and Texas (Corn et al, 1990). In general, these surveys have reported that fallow deer were susceptible to exposure from para-sites and diseases of native deer in North America, but were not impacted by these diseases.…”

Who’s afraid of replication-competent adenoviruses?

“…In this respect, it is noteworthy that adenoviruses with a tropism for endothelium have been shown to cause lethal infections in deer and mice. 11,12 Woods and co-workers 11 reported high mortality rates in deer upon infection with adenovirus. Mortality was caused by replication of the virus in endothelium of the animal, causing severe vasculitis.…”