title: Investigation of T-cell responses and viral mRNA persistence in lymph nodes of pigs infected with porcine rubulavirus.
abstract: Selected lymphocyte subpopulations were studied and the distribution of viral mRNA were investigated during acute and persistent porcine rubulavirus (PoRV-LPMV) infection in Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs. Six pigs infected with PoRV-LPMV at 17 days of age exhibited clinical signs 7-10 days post-inoculation (pi). One infected piglet died 11 days pi while the other five recovered around day 13 pi and survived until euthanasia on day 277 pi. Increased numbers of CD8+, CD4+ and CD2+ T cells were detected during the acute phase of infection while CD8+ cells were elevated throughout the infection, including during the persistent stage. Specific antibodies against the haemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein of PoRV-LPMV were detected during persistent infection. Although infectious virus could not be recovered from tissues from any of the infected pigs at necropsy 277 days pi, PoRV-LPMV mRNA was detected in lymph nodes, pancreas and central nervous system using a nested polymerase chain reaction technique. Continued lymphocyte interaction with viral RNA may be an important factor in promoting cellular and humoral responses during persistent PoRV-LPMV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Division of Parasitology and Virology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: J Sandra
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cuevas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Ropón
authors.forename: Seamus
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moreno-López
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hernández-Jáuregui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019213:Rubulavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D019351:Rubulavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral