Detection of louping ill virus in formalin-fixed, paraffin wax-embedded tissues of mice, sheep and a pig by the avidin-biotin-complex immunoperoxidase technique.

An immunohistochemical method for the detection of louping ill virus antigen in formalin-fixed, paraffin wax-embedded tissues by an avidin-biotin-complex (ABC) immunoperoxidase technique was established. The tissues examined were from the brains of 10 mice, five sheep and one pig. The mice were experimentally infected with louping ill virus whereas the sheep and the pig were field cases of louping ill confirmed by clinical examination, and by histological and serological methods.