Infectivity of porcine circovirus type 2 DNA in semen from experimentally-infected boars

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is an economically important pathogen. It has been demonstrated that PCV2 DNA can be detected in boar semen by PCR; however, the biological relevance of this is unknown. The objectives of this study were to determine if semen positive for PCV2 DNA is infectious (1) i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Veterinary research (Paris) 2009-01, Vol.40 (1), p.10-10
Main Authors: Madson, Darin M, Ramamoorthy, Sheela, Kuster, Chris, Pal, Narinder, Meng, Xiang-Jin, Halbur, Patrick G, Opriessnig, Tanja
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal biology
Animal genetics
Animals
Antibodies, Viral - blood
Biochemistry, Molecular Biology
Biological Assay - veterinary
Cell Behavior
Cellular Biology
Circoviridae Infections - transmission
Circoviridae Infections - veterinary
Circoviridae Infections - virology
Circovirus - classification
Circovirus - genetics
Circovirus - immunology
Circovirus - isolation & purification
DNA, Viral - isolation & purification
Female
Genetics
Immunoglobulin G - blood
Immunology
Insemination, Artificial - standards
Insemination, Artificial - veterinary
Life Sciences
Male
Microbiology and Parasitology
Molecular biology
Neurons and Cognition
Original
Random Allocation
Santé publique et épidémiologie
Semen - virology
Swine
Swine Diseases - transmission
Swine Diseases - virology
Virus Shedding
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Summary:Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is an economically important pathogen. It has been demonstrated that PCV2 DNA can be detected in boar semen by PCR; however, the biological relevance of this is unknown. The objectives of this study were to determine if semen positive for PCV2 DNA is infectious (1) in a swine bioassay, or (2) when used for artificial insemination. For the first objective, 4-week-old pigs were inoculated intraperitoneally with PCV2 DNA-negative (bioassay-control; n = 3), PCV2a DNA-positive (bioassay-PCV2a; n = 3), or PCV2b DNA-positive (bioassay-PCV2b; n = 3) raw semen, or PCV2 live virus (bioassay-positive; n = 3), respectively. Pigs inoculated with PCV2 DNA-positive semen and PCV2 live virus became viremic and developed anti-PCV2 antibodies indicating that the PCV2 DNA present in semen was infectious. For the second objective, three Landrace gilts were inseminated with PCV2 DNA-negative semen (gilts-controls) from experimentally-infected boars, and six gilts were artificially inseminated with semen positive for PCV2a DNA (gilts-PCV2a; n = 3) or PCV2b DNA (gilts-PCV2b; n = 3). Serum samples collected from the gilts in all groups remained negative for anti-PCV2 antibodies for the duration of the experiment. In addition, fetal serum samples from all 105-day-gestation fetuses were negative for anti-PCV2 antibodies or PCV2 DNA. Under the conditions of this study, PCV2 DNA-positive semen was not infectious when used to artificially inseminate gilts; however, it was demonstrated to be infectious in a swine bioassay model and therefore is a potential means of PCV2 transmission amongst swine herds.
ISSN:0928-4249
1297-9716
DOI:10.1051/vetres:2008048