At three days post-inoculation, three pigs from each virus-treated group and one pig from mock group were humanely euthanized by electrocution followed by exsanguination for histopathological and immunohistochemical assessments, as described previously [22]. Duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, colon, rectum and mesenteric lymph nodes were collected, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, sectioned at 4 μm, and stained routinely with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) for morphometric analysis by assessing the ratio of villi height to crypt depth blindly by one veterinary pathologist.