[Use of monoclonal antibodies for the differential diagnosis of pestivirus infections in swine]

Abstract

Monoclonal antibodies (mab) specific for hog cholera virus (HCV), bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) or pestivirus were applied for the differential diagnosis of pestivirus infections in pigs. Field virus isolated from 8 confirmed classical swine fever outbreaks and one suspect case was propagated in PK(15) cell cultures and identified by direct immunofluorescence (IFA) and peroxidase linked antibody (PLA) assays. Peroxidase-linked HCV, BVDV and pestivirus specific mab were applied in direct PLA for differentiation. Nine isolates were classified as members of the genus pestivirus. Eight isolates showed a positive reaction with an HCV mab. One isolates reacted with BVDV specific mab only. For further characterization an indirect PLA was performed using a collection of different HCV and BVDV specific mabs. Some of the HCV isolates also showed a weak reaction with BVDV specific mab.