ARS | Publication request: VACCINATION FOR PSEUDORABIES IN THE PRESENCE OF MATERNAL IMMUNITY USING VACCINIA VIRUS RECOMBINANTS

Submitted to: Research Workers in Animal Diseases Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: November 14, 1995
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine if piglets could be protected from pseudorabies (PR) by vaccination with vaccinia virus recombinants containing glycoprotein genes for PR virus (PRV) after they had nursed immune dams. PRV seronegative gilts were vaccinated with either an inactivated PRV vaccine (iPRV) (2 gilts) or a NYVAC vaccinia recombinant expressing glycoprotein gD of PRV (NYVAC/gD (3 gilts). Two gilts were left unvaccinated. After farrowing, the piglets were allowed to nurse normally to obtain colostral immunity and then were divided into 4 groups, receiving either NYVAC/gD, a NYVAC recombinant expressing glycoprotein gB of PRV (NYVAC/gB), the iPRV vaccine, or no vaccine. The piglets were later challenged with virulent PRV oronasally, and monitored for clinical signs, temperature response, weight loss, and viral shedding. Piglets that received NYVAC/gB after nursing dams which had received iPRV or NYVAC/gD and piglets which received iPRV after nursing dams which had received NYVAC/gD were the best protected based on lack of mortality, lower temperature responses, better weight gains, and decreased viral shedding after challenge. These results indicate possible effective strategies for stimulating active immune response while still under the protection of maternal immunity.