The use of a non-specific defence mechanism inducer in calves exposed to bovine herpesvirus-1 infection: preliminary trials.
The efficacy of an immunomodulator, the Baypamun (Bayer AG), was tested in calves which were subsequently exposed to bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) infection. Two groups of calves, of 8 animals each, were used for two trials. In one trial, 4 calves were treated with the immunomodulator and the remaining 4 were left as untreated controls. Two hours after the first injection of Baypamun, all calves, i.e. the treated and the untreated ones, were challenged with BHV-1. Comparing them to the untreated controls, the calves which were given the immunomodulator developed milder signs of the disease and shed a significantly lower concentration of virus. In the second experiment, 4 calves were given Baypamun and 4 calves were not, as above, but they were not inoculated with BHV-1; however, they were housed together with the calves of the former group (experimentally infected with BHV-1). The 8 calves all became infected but those that had been treated with Baypamun did not show any clinical signs of the disease, whereas the untreated calves underwent a clinical response which was considered to be typical of BHV-1 respiratory infection, as usually seen under natural conditions. In this case the shedding of virus by the calves treated with the immunomodulator also underwent a significant reduction.
Castrucci
G
G
Istituto di Malattie Infettive, Profilassi e Polizia Veterinaria, Laboratorio Universitario di Virologia V. Cilli, Università di Perugia, Italy.
Ferrari
M
M
Osburn
B I
BI
Frigeri
F
F
Barreca
F
F
Tagliati
S
S
Cuteri
V
V
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D007242:Herpesvirus 1, Bovine / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007241:Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000821:virology; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D017201:Virus Shedding
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000914:Antibodies, Viral