Physical, biochemical, and cytologic properties of synovial fluid from digital flexor tendon sheaths of clinically normal horses were investigated. Tendon sheath fluid was pale yellow, clear, and did not clot. Volume of fluid within a tendon sheath varied minimally, with a mean of 2.11 ml. Total erythrocyte counts were higher than values observed in normal equine joint fluid, whereas values for total leukocyte count (770 +/- 73 cells/mm3), viscosity (6.05 +/- 0.58 cs), and protein concentration (7.87 +/- 0.03 mg/ml) were similar to those in joint fluid. Large mononuclear cells were the predominant synovial fluid cell type. Mean hyaluronic acid concentration (0.74 +/- 0.02 mg/ml) and mucinous precipitate quality were lower than values in joint fluid.

A technique for detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) from circulating blood leukocytes, using the polymerase chain reaction, is described. The published nucleotide sequences of 2 strains of BVDV and that of hog cholera virus were aligned and the information was used to design oligonucleotides coding for 2 regions of amino acid homology. The oligonucleotides were a mixed population including all possible codons for the conserved amino acids. These degenerate oligonucleotides were used in the polymerase chain reaction to detect viral RNA in cells infected in vitro, or in circulating blood leukocytes from infected animals. Virus was detected in over 60 samples from diverse isolates. The detection of BVDV by the polymerase chain reaction is a rapid, sensitive, and specific technique, which represents an improvement over existing technology.

A flow cytometric method was developed to perform differential leukocyte counts on bovine blood. Blood specimens from 50 healthy Holstein cows were analyzed by use of a flow cytometer. The method entailed diluting blood with phosphate-buffered, hypotonic saline solution containing acridine orange, and performing a step-wise, 3-parameter analysis on the bases of cell size, cellular granularity, and granulocyte fluorescence. Initially, proportions of monocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes were determined by creating appropriate windows on dot plots of cell size (determined by forward light scatter) vs cellular granularity (determined by the logarithm of side light scatter). Eosinophils were resolved by analysis of granulocytes as dot plots of logarithms of green vs red fluorescence ascribed to acridine orange. Proportions of eosinophils and neutrophils were computed from data so generated. Microclumps of platelets spuriously affected counts of some granulocytes, particularly eosinophils. Differential leukocyte counts determined by flow cytometry generally compared favorably with those obtained by use of the conventional microscopic method, using Wright-stained blood films. Mean neutrophil and eosinophil counts determined by the 2 methods did not differ significantly, but lymphocyte counts determined by flow cytometry were significantly higher than those determined by microscopy (P < 0.01). Correlation coefficients for counts of neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes determined by the 2 methods ranged from 0.519 to 0.833. Correlation between monocyte counts was low (r = 0.147), although mean monocyte counts determined by the 2 methods did not differ significantly. Total leukocyte counts determined by flow cytometry were significantly lower (P < 0.01) than counts determined by use of an automated cell counter; correlation between the 2 counts was low (r = 0.350).

The functional characteristics of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), considered to be the first line of host defense against infections, from rhesus macaques confirmed to have simian retrovirus (SRV)-induced simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (SAIDS), were evaluated. The PMN from SRV antibody-positive macaques without clinical signs were chemotactically responsive. Their phagocytic and killing capabilities were normal, and their cell membranes were highly deformable. However, PMN from SRV antibody-positive macaques and with persistent lymphadenopathy, as well as having at least 3 of the 11 common clinical signs of SAIDS, were chemotactically nonresponsive. Their phagocytic and killing capabilities were compromised, and their cell membranes were rigid and nondeformable. In general, PMN from macaques with clinically confirmed SAIDS were functionally deficient. The results are similar to those obtained in other retroviral infections and can be clinically significant, because the host defense deficiency may be responsible for the recurrent and opportunistic infections in SAIDS.