Systemic herpesvirus infection in neonatal goats.

Three 10- to 16-day-old Boer goat kids died and one kid was euthanased after showing depression, abdominal pain and refusal to suckle. Gross lesions in 2 kids comprised ulcerative and necrotic lesions in the ileum, colon and caecum. Microscopically, the mucosal lesions in the ileum of one kid were associated with necrosis of lymphoid follicles and acidophilic intranuclear inclusions in epithelial cells and in what appeared to be macrophages and dendritic reticular cells. Foci of necrosis and intranuclear inclusions were also present in the mesenteric lymph node, kidney and lung. Electron microscopy of sections of the intestine demonstrated the presence of intranuclear virus-like particles, morphologically compatible with a herpesvirus.