Encephalomyocarditis virus infection in pigs associated with reproductive failure

번식장애를 수반한 돼지의 뇌심근염 바이러스 감염증

Encephalomyocarditis virus infection in pigs, characterized by severe reproductive failure in sows and sudden death in less than 7 day-old-piglets, a period of several months from October to December of 1989, in Korea was occurred. The most outstanding gross lesions at necropsy were found in the heart which were consisted of pale, yellow brown necrotic foci of varying size in myocardium. In some cases, pulmonary edema and liver congestion were observed. Histopathology of the heart revealed the interstitial myocarditis, endocarditis and epicarditis with lymphocytic, plasmacytic and macrophage cell infiltration and, in some cases, calcification of the necrotic myocardial muscle fibers. In some cases of brain, the perivascular cuffing and glial nodules were observed. In the liver and the lacrimal gland varying degrees of multifocal necrosis were seen. The virus was isolated from the heart and the brain in a stillborn piglet and a mummified fetus. This outbreak represents the first case of encephalomyocarditis virus infection of pigs in Korea.