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A 2-year-old sow with a relatively low virus-neutralization (VN) titer (1:8) against pseudorabies virus (PRV) was brought to the National Animal Disease Center for observation and study. The sow was kept in isolation for approximately 6 weeks, and repeated nasal and tonsillar swabs for virus isolation and blood samples for VN tests were obtained during this interval. At the end of 5 weeks' observation, the sow was injected IM with 200 mg of dexamethasone and was euthanatized 1 week later. Parts of the two trigeminal ganglia, tonsillar tissue, and nasal secretions were cultured in porcine kidney cells. The rest of the trigeminal ganglia was extracted with phenol and tested for presence of the PRV-DNA genome by hybridization with tritiated complementary RNA. The PRV was isolated from the trigeminal ganglia only, and the PRV genome was demonstrated in the same tissue. This latently infected sow was a potential shedder of PRV.

A microimmunodiffusion test (MIDT) was developed for the detection of pseudorabies virus (PRV) antibodies in swine serum. The optimal medium for the MIDT was determined to contain 0.69% agarose in 0.05 M tris buffer (pH 7.2) with 0.025% sodium azide and no NaCl. The PRV antigen prepared by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation of viral fluids (42.5 g/100 ml), dialyzed against distilled water, and concentrated to approximately 100-fold of the original volume with polyethylene glycol (mol wt 20,000) provided a good reproducible antigen. The sensitivity of the MIDT was compared with the microtitration procedure of the virus-neutralization (VN) test by assaying 2,203 swine serums for PRV antibodies. An equal percentage of serums was positive in both tests; 419 had VN titers of greater than or equal to 4, and 421 were MIDT positive. Serums (314) that had VN titers of greater than or equal to 16 were all positive by the MIDT. Of serum samples with a VN titer of 8 (53), 50 were MIDT positive, a 94% correlation, and of 52 serums that had VN titers of 4, 36 were MIDT positive, a 69% correlation. In addition, 8 serums that had titer of less than 4 by VN test were positive by MIDT. Seventy-one serum samples were too cytotoxic, markedly hemolyzed, or contaminated to evaluate properly in the VN test; of these serums, 13 were MIDT positive. The MIDT is an accurate, rapid, economical, and sensitive diagnostic test for the detection of PRV antibodies in swine serums.

Antiserums prepared in specific pathogen free (SPF) ponies were used in direct and indirect immunofluorescence, immunodiffusion, complement fixation and serum neutralization procedures to study the interrelationships of the three types of equine herpes viruses (EHV-1, EHV-2, and EHV-3). Equine cell cultures infected with each type virus fluoresced when stained with homologous conjugated antiserum. In reciprocal tests EHV-1 and EHV-3 cross-fluoresced, but EHV-2 did not cross-fluoresce. Non-infected cell cultures did not fluoresce when stained with the 3 conjugates. EHV-1 and EHV-3 cross-fluoresced in reciprocal indirect fluorescent antibody tests, but no cross-fluorescence was shown with EHV-2. Antigens representing each type of equine herpes virus reacted with their homologous antiserum in the immunodiffusion test. In reciprocal tests, a common line(s) of identity formed with EHV-1 and EHV-3; however, the precipitin line(s) was not common with EHV-2. Antigen prepared from noninfected embryonic mule skin (EMS) cell cultures did not react with any of the antiserums. Specific complement-fixing antibodies were present in antiserums when tested against their homologous antigens. In reciprocal complement fixation tests EHV-1 and EHV-3 crossreacted, but no cross-reactivity was shown with EHV-2. Significant levels of neutralizing antibody were in an antiserum when tested against homologous virus, whereas cross-neutralization was not detectable in reciprocal tests. These studies indicate that each type of equine herpes virus contains specific antigenic components, and EHV-1 and EHV-3 share a common antigen(s) that is not shared with EHV-2.

Groups of pigs vaccinated with an inactivated bivalent vaccine containing porcine parvovirus (PPV) and pseudorabies virus (PRV) developed geometric mean titers (GMT) of humoral antibody for each of the viruses as high or slightly higher than those of other groups of pigs that were vaccinated with inactivated monovalent vaccines containing one or the other of the same viruses. An increase in GMT after challenge exposure of vaccinated pigs to live virus indicated that vaccination did not prevent virus replication. However, an indication that replication was less extensive in vaccinated pigs was provided by the following. Although neither vaccinated nor nonvaccinated (control) pigs had clinical signs after exposure to the live PPV, the effect of vaccination was evident by the fact that GMT were higher in nonvaccinated pigs after exposure than they were in vaccinated pigs. Conversely, all pigs exposed to live PRV had clinical signs, but these signs varied between mild-to-moderate and transient for vaccinated pigs to severe and fatal for nonvaccinated pigs.

Cellular immunity in pigs inoculated with pseudorabies virus (PRV) was studied by the agarose plate technique of direct leukocyte migration-inhibition procedure. Migration of leukocytes from PRV-infected pigs was inhibited in the presence of PRV antigen, whereas migration of leukocytes from nonexposed pigs was not inhibited in the presence of the same antigen. The migration of leukocytes collected 4 days after intranasal exposure to PRV was inhibited; humoral antibodies could not be detected until 7 days after exposure. Cellular immunity was present in pigs 14 days after inoculation with inactivated PRV antigens; low concentrations of neutralizing and precipitating antibodies were present at this time. The leukocyte migration-inhibiton procedure was found to be a useful tool in studying the role of cellular immunity in PRV infections.

The immune response was compared in pigs given inactivated pseudorabies virus (PRV) antigens (with or without adjuvant) or PRV antigens covalently conjugated with a fatty acid (lauric acid) to enhance delayed-type hypersensitivity. The pigs were given 2 inoculations, 14 days apart, and were challenge exposed 28 days after the 1st inoculation. Pibs inoculated with PRV antigens, with or without adjuvant, had significant virus-neutralizing (VN) antibodies before challenge exposure, but the pigs inoculated with lipid-conjugated PRV antigens had no detectable VN antibodies, with the exception of 1 pig. All inoculated pigs were positive by the microimmunodiffusion test at postinoculation day 14 and remained positive throughout the experiment. The inoculated pigs had delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions when skin tested a postinoculation day 25; the pigs inoculated with lipid-conjugated PRV antigens had a more pronounced reaction. Inoculated pigs had mild respiratory signs on the 3rd through the 6th days after challange exposure, with no observable difference in severity between the inoculated groups. The control pigs had acute signs of PRV, and 3 or 4 pigs died 5 to 8 days after challenge exposure. The average VN titers of the different inoculated groups of pigs were nearly equal 2 weeks after challenge exposure. Results indicated that both humoral antibodies and cell-mediated immunity have a role in PRV infections in swine.

Eighteen seronegative swine weighing from 9 to 11 kg were exposed intranasally with the Shope strain of pseudorabies virus (PRV) and were observed for 21 days in an experiment to detect virus shedding and immune responses. All swine had PRV in their nasal passages at 7 days after exposure; they also had precipitating antibodies to PRV as determined by the microimmunodiffusion test (MIDT) and very low levels of virus-neutralizing (VN) antibodies. The PRV was isolated from only 2 swine at postexposure day 14; all swine were MIDT positive, and VN titers ranged from 4 to 128. Virus was not isolated from the swine at 21 days after exposure, but all were MIDT positive; VN titers ranged between 8 and greater than or equal to 256.

Gilts vaccinated IM either once (4 gilts) or twice (2 gilts) with an acetylethyleneimine-inactivated porcine parvovirus (PPV) vaccine before they were bred were subsequently exposed intranasally and orally to virulent PPV at about the 40th day of gestation (from 37 to 43 days). At 2 weeks after vaccination, all had hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) titers for PPV (from 20 to 80) which decreased by the time the immunity was challenged with virulent virus (from 10 to 40), but increased thereafter (from 160 to 1,280). Titers of singly and doubly vaccinated gilts were similar throughout the experiment. The gilts were killed at about the 84th day of gestation (from 80 to 87 days), and their litters were examined. Litters were comprised of 68 live fetuses and 1 dead fetus (7 to 14 fetuses/litter). Neither viral antigen, PPV, nor homologous HI antibody was found in any of the fetuses. In addition, 4 gilts were kept in contact with the vaccinated gilts and were treated similarly except for vaccination. These 4 gilts remained free of HI antibody until after they were exposed to virulent PPV during gestation. At the time the gilts were killed the titers were 1,280 to 2,560. Their litters were comprised of 11 live fetuses and 26 dead fetuses (8 to 11 fetuses/litter). Virus was isolated from fetuses of all litters. Viral antigen was found in 24 of the dead fetuses and 10 of the live fetuses. All infected live fetuses also had HI antibody for PPV. The 2 boars used to breed vaccinated and nonvaccinated gilts (usually each gilt was bred to each of the 2 boars), but not exposed to virulent PPV, remained free of HI antibody for PPV.

Specific staining of antigen within bovine embryo kidney tissue culture cells, infected with either Oregon C24V or NADL-MD bovine viral diarrhea virus, was accomplished using fluorescein-conjugated swine anti-hog cholera or bovine antiviral diarrhea globulin. Also specific staining of antigen within pig kidney tissue culture cells, infected with hog cholera virus, was accomplished using the same two types of conjugates. Specificity was confirmed by appropriate controls. The authors found immunofluorescence to be a convenient and sensitive method for determining an antigenic relationship between hog cholera and bovine viral diarrhea viruses.

In calves inoculated with bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) viruses and soluble antigen, the complement-fixing (CF) antibodies appeared before serum-neutralizing (SN) antibodies and remained at high levels throughout the test period. A rapid rise in SN antibodies occurred after challenge with homologous virus with no apparent effect on CF antibody levels. The CF antibody responses in calves infected with cytopathogenic NADL-MD and noncytopathogenic CG-1220 viruses were similar whereas SN antibody responses indicated strain specificity by reciprocal cross-neutralization tests. The CF antibody levels in 5 hog cholera (HC) antisera were assayed using the soluble antigen of NADL-MD BVD virus. No demonstrable SN antibodies were present in four HC antisera tested against NADL-MD virus, but a significant titer was present in the commercially prepared antiserum. Virus was reisolated from animals infected with BVD viruses by buffy coat culture technique during 3 weeks postinoculation, even when significant levels of CF and SN antibodies were present.

A soluble antigen present in infectious tissue culture fluids was separated from the infective virus particle by ultracentrifugation of two serologically related strains of bovine viral diarrhea viruses, NADL-MD and Oregon C24V. Neutralizing antibodies against the two viruses were absent in four hog cholera antisera, but present in significant titer in the commercially prepared antiserum. Precipitin tests utilizing the agar double diffusion technique formed a single line of identity between the concentrated soluble antigen of both viruses and NADL-MD and hog cholera antisera. No lines were observed using concentrated virus pellet and noninfected BEK cell antigens or control SPF calf and swine sera.