title: Differences in virulence among porcine circovirus type 2 isolates are unrelated to cluster type 2a or 2b and prior infection provides heterologous protection.
abstract: Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is divided into two genetic clusters designated PCV2a and PCV2b. The objectives of this study were to determine whether isolates from different clusters vary in virulence and to determine whether infection with PCV2a isolates induces protective immunity against subsequent infection with a recent PCV2b isolate. One-hundred and thirteen conventional specific-pathogen-free (SPF) pigs were assigned randomly to treatment groups and rooms: pigs inoculated with PCV2a cluster isolates (ISU-40895 or ISU-4838), pigs inoculated with PCV2b cluster isolates (NC-16845 or Can-17639) and uninoculated pigs. Necropsies were performed at 16 or 51 days post-inoculation (p.i.). There were no significant differences in PCV2-associated lymphoid lesions between PCV2a and PCV2b clusters; however, within the same cluster, significant differences were found between isolates: ISU-4838- and Can-17639-inoculated pigs had significantly (P<0.05) less severe lesions compared with ISU-40895- and NC-16845-inoculated pigs. To evaluate cross-protection, six pigs within each group were challenged at 35 days p.i. with an isolate from the heterologous cluster and were necropsied 51 days p.i. The severity of PCV2-associated lesions was reduced in pigs with prior exposure to an isolate from the heterologous cluster in comparison with singly inoculated pigs. Results indicate that the virulence of PCV2a and PCV2b isolates is not different in the conventional SPF pig model; however, the virulence of isolates within the same cluster differs. Increased virulence as reported to be associated with PCV2b isolates in the field was not observed under the conditions of this study. Moreover, cross-protection between PCV2a and PCV2b exists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Opriessnig
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramamoorthy
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Madson
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.affiliation: Animal Health Laboratory, Laboratory Services Division, University of Guelph, PO Box 3612, Guelph, ON N1H 6R8, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carman
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
authors.forename: X J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Halbur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D018173:Circoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D017925:Circovirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral