ARS | Publication request: CHARACTERIZATION OF A TYPE 2 BOVINE VIRAL DIARRHEA VIRUS FOUND AS A CONTAMINANT IN A MLV VACCINE

Submitted to: Research Workers in Animal Diseases Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: November 8, 1999
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Bovine viral diarrhea viruses (BVDV) may contaminate veterinary biologics. Usually this is the result of using fetal bovine serum derived from infected animals as a cell culture supplement. In 1984, a modified live virus (MLV) vaccine for bovine respiratory syncitial virus (Norden Serial #58, U.S. Vet. Lic. #189) was released. A total of 64 herds (more than 16,000 cattle) reported problems after one vaccination. Complaints included death (61%), fever (39%), diarrhea (32%), respiratory disease (31%), oral ulcerations (16%) and ocular discharge (8%). A BVDV2 was subsequently isolated from the vaccine. Infection with this virus alone resulted in clinically mild disease accompanied by fever (105 C) and reduced WBC (39%). Lesoins were seen in the urinary and gall bladders, thymus, lymph nodes and colon. Viral antigen was seen in lymphoid centers and in arterioles. These data illustrate the threat posed by BVDV contamination of MLV vaccines.