Shedding of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in mammary gland secretions of sows.
OBJECTIVE
To document shedding of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus in mammary gland secretions of experimentally inoculated sows, to evaluate effects of vaccination during gestation on virus shedding during the subsequent lactation, and to evaluate shedding of PRRS virus in milk of sows in commercial herds.


METHODS
6 sows seronegative for PRRS virus were used for experiment 1, and 2 sows were retained for experiment 2. For experiment 3, 202 sows in commercial herds were used.


METHODS
In experiment 1, 2 sows were inoculated with PRRS virus, 2 sows were vaccinated with modified-live PRRS virus vaccine, and 2 sows served as control pigs. Mammary gland secretions were assayed for PRRS virus. In experiment 2, pregnant vaccinated sows from experiment 1 were vaccinated with another modified-live PRRS virus vaccine. Mammary gland secretions were assayed in the same manner as for experiment 1. For experiment 3, milk collected from 202 sows in commercial herds was assayed for PRRS virus.


RESULTS
In experiment 1, PRRS virus was detected in mammary gland secretions of both vaccinated and 1 of 2 virus-inoculated sows. In experiment 2, virus was not detected in samples from either vaccinated sow. In experiment 3, all samples yielded negative results.


CONCLUSIONS
Naïve sows inoculated late in gestation shed PRRS virus in mammary secretions. Previous vaccination appeared to prevent shedding during the subsequent lactation. Results for samples obtained from sows in commercial herds suggested that virus shedding in mammary gland secretions of such sows is uncommon.
Wagstrom
E A
EA
Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames 50011, USA.
Chang
C C
CC
Yoon
K J
KJ
Zimmerman
J J
JJ
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D003126:Colostrum / Q000821:virology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D008892:Milk / Q000821:virology*; D019318:Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D019316:Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000592:standards; D017201:Virus Shedding
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014765:Viral Vaccines