Studies on immunisation of pigs with the Bartha strain of Aujeszky's disease virus

Abstract

The K strain of Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) grown in Vero cells was used to vaccinate pigs. Following intramuscular inoculation, the pigs remained healthy, no vaccine virus was excreted and virus could be detected only at the inoculation site. One inoculation gave good protection against challenge with a virulent strain of ADV, and the amount of virulent ADV excreted was geatly curtailed. Following vaccination only low leads of serum neutralizing antibody were detected (geometric mean titre 1/2), but three weeks after challenge very high levels were found (GMT 1/1773). Intranasal vaccination gave similar results. There was minimal excretion of vaccine virus. The clinical reaction on challenge was less severe than in the intramuscularly challenged group, although lower antibody levels were detected three wekks following challenge (GMT 1/483). A field trial, using this strain given subcutaneously, indicated that one inoculation of this vaccine is effective.