Ovine adenovirus serotype 7-associated mortality in lambs in the United States.

Adenoviral infections were diagnosed in three neonatal lambs that died spontaneously, and no other etiologic agents were identified. Clinical signs were anorexia, weakness, abdominal distention, and sudden death. Microscopic lesions consisted of multifocal necrotizing hepatitis, multifocal subacute interstitial nephritis, and loss of enterocytes from intestinal villi. Adenovirus inclusions were identified by light microscopy in the kidneys only. Adenoviral antigen, however, was identified in the liver, kidney, and intestine of the lambs by immunohistochemical techniques. An ovine adenovirus serotype 7, not previously isolated from sheep in the United States, was characterized from these lambs.