Coronavirose systémique chez le furet (Mustela putorius) : intérêt de l’analyse histologique et immunohistochimique. À propos de trois cas

BACKGROUND: A disease resembling feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) has been recognized recently in ferrets, mostly in United States and in Spain. This disease is due to a Group 1 Coronavirus, closely related to the ferret enteric Coronavirus. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the viral origin of severe pyogranulomatous lymphoid and visceral lesions in three ferrets. METHODS: Histopathology and immunohistochemistry of lesions received in our laboratory. RESULTS: Severe pyogranulomatous inflammation was observed in the abdominal lymph nodes and in various organs. Positive labelling of Coronavirus antigen was demonstrated in macrophages in the pyogranulomatous lesions by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSION: The three cases of severe pyogranulomatous disseminated inflammation were due to a Coronavirus, causing a systemic coronavirosis in ferret with a high similarity to FIP.