[Nasal infection of the domestic cat with feline herpesvirus as an animal model of experimental viral labyrinthitis].

Looking for a suitable animal model of experimental labyrinthitis we performed in vivo infections of the domestic cat with feline rhinotracheitis virus. After instillation of the virus suspension into the nose of the anaesthetized cat we could find the complete virus particles in so-called virus factories in the nasal mucosa four days later by means of electron-microscopy. The adjacent ganglia of the olfactory nerve were stained by immunohistochemical methods and showed positive viral antigen. After embedding of the cochlea for electron microscopy virus particles could be demonstrated in the inflammatory cell material in the scala tympani. Our experimental model seems to be suitable for further studies of the rhinogenic way of infection in experimental viral labyrinthitis.