Lesions in the reproductive tract of boars experimentally infected with porcine rubulavirus.

"Blue eye" disease of pigs in Mexico is caused by porcine rubulavirus and characterized by infertility in sows and boars, nervous signs in young pigs, and corneal opacity in pigs of all ages. The pathogenesis of reproductive tract lesions in rubulavirus-infected boars has not previously been investigated. In a first experiment, four 9-month-old boars were inoculated with porcine rubulavirus and killed 5, 15, 30 or 45 days post-inoculation (pi). In a second experiment, four similar boars were inoculated with the same virus and two animals were killed on each of days 70 and 80 pi. Swelling of the head of the epididymis developed in all inoculated boars at approximately day 15 pi. Reduced spermatozoan motility and concentration were detected in semen samples collected from one boar from day 21 pi. At post-mortem examination, nodules were seen in the head of the epididymis of the boars killed 15, 30 or 45 days pi and the right testis of the pig killed 30 days pi was atrophic. Corresponding histopathological epididymal alterations included formation of spermatic granulomas and vacuolar degeneration of ductular epithelium. These lesions were associated with mononuclear cell infiltration and interstitial fibroplasia. Degeneration of seminiferous tubules and interstitial mononuclear cell infiltration were seen in the atrophic testis of the pig killed 30 days pi. There was fibrosis of the head of the epididymis in all boars killed 70 or 80 days pi and one of these animals also had right testicular atrophy associated with degeneration of seminiferous tubules, lymphocytic infiltration and giant cell formation. Porcine rubulavirus antigen was detected by immunofluorescence labelling in the head of the epididymis of the pigs killed 15, 30 or 45 days pi and in one animal killed on day 70 pi. These results indicate that porcine rubulavirus can cause severe epididymo-orchitis and reduced semen quality in sexually mature boars.