Vertical transmission and fetal replication of Nipah virus in an experimentally infected cat

J Infect Dis. 2007 Sep 15;196(6):812-6. doi: 10.1086/520818. Epub 2007 Aug 14.

Abstract

A female adult cat developed clinical disease 13 days after subcutaneous inoculation with Nipah virus (NiV) and was discovered to be pregnant at necropsy. Viral genome was detected in a variety of specimens, including blood, serum, tonsil swabs, and urine, up to 3 days before the onset of disease. Samples collected postmortem, including placenta, uterine fluid, and fetal tissues, were also positive for NiV genome, and the placenta and uterine fluid contained high levels of recoverable virus. The high levels of viral shedding in the adult combined with fetal viral replication suggests that both vertical and horizontal transmission of NiV could play a role in spillover events, an essential element in the epidemiology of Henipavirus infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cats
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Female
  • Fetus / virology
  • Henipavirus Infections / transmission*
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical*
  • Nipah Virus / isolation & purification*
  • Palatine Tonsil / virology
  • Placenta / virology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious*
  • Serum / virology
  • Urine / virology
  • Uterus / virology
  • Virus Shedding

Substances

  • DNA, Viral