Persistent bovine pestivirus infection localized in the testes of an immuno-competent, non-viraemic bull.
A post-pubertal bull on an artificial insemination station was found to be persistently shedding bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) in semen over a period of eleven months, while demonstrating no viraemia. Circulating antibodies to BVDV were consistently high, suggesting that the immune system was challenged repeatedly. Post-mortem findings confirmed that the virus was sequestered in the testes of the bull. It is hypothesized that the BVDV in this immuno-competent bull was protected from the bull's immune response by the blood-testes barrier. The barrier becomes functional only at puberty when tight junctions form between adjacent Sertoli cells, suggesting that this bull became persistently infected with BVDV during puberty.
Voges
H
H
Livestock Improvement Corporation, Hamilton, New Zealand. hvoges@Lic.co.nz
Horner
G W
GW
Rowe
S
S
Wellenberg
G J
GJ
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001912:Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases; D005298:Fertility; D008297:Male; D010576:Pestivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012661:Semen / Q000821:virology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D017201:Virus Shedding
D000914:Antibodies, Viral