Publications by authors named "Vorwald A"

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is responsible for one of the most economically important diseases in swine worldwide. It causes reproductive failure in sows and pneumonia in pigs that predisposes them to secondary bacterial infections. Methods to control PRRSV and/or limit secondary bacterial infections are desired to reduce the impact of this virus on animal health.

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Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a ubiquitous and costly virus that exhibits substantial sequence and virulence disparity among diverse isolates. In this study, we compared the whole genomic sequence and virulence of 4 Type 2 PRRSV isolates. Among the 4 isolates, SDSU73, MN184, and NADC30 were all clearly more virulent than NADC31, and among the 3 more virulent isolates, there were subtle differences based on viral replication, lung lesions, lymphadenopathy, febrile response, decreased weight gains, and cytokine responses in the lung.

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Fifteen porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) isolate genomes were derived simultaneously using 454 pyrosequencing technology. The viral isolates sequenced were from a recent swine study, in which engineered Type 2 prototype PRRSV strain VR-2332 mutants, with 87, 184, 200, and 403 amino acid deletions in the second hypervariable region of nsp2, were found to be stable in the nsp2 coding region after in vivo infection (Faaberg et al., 2010).

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In this study, pigs were injected with a nonreplicating human adenovirus type 5 vector expressing porcine interferon-alpha (Ad5-pIFN-alpha) and then challenged with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) to determine whether the presence of increased levels of IFN-alpha would decrease viral replication and/or disease. Groups of 10 pigs each were inoculated with Ad5-pIFN-alpha and not challenged, Ad5-pIFN-alpha and challenged with PRRSV 1 d later, or inoculated with a control adenovirus that does not express IFN-alpha (Ad5-null) and challenged 1 d later with PRRSV. IFN-alpha levels in all pigs inoculated with the Ad5-pIFN-alpha were elevated the day of challenge (1 d after inoculation), but were undetectable by 3 d after inoculation in the pigs that were not challenged with PRRSV.

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Immunosorbent assays are commonly employed as diagnostic tests in human healthcare, veterinary medicine and bioterrorism prevention. These assays, however, often require long incubation times, limiting sample throughput. As an approach to overcome this weakness, this paper examines the use of rotating capture substrates to increase the flux of antigen to the surface, thereby reducing the incubation time.

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Pigs were exposed to three passages of the NADC-8 strain of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) to investigate the relationship between genotypic and phenotypic properties. Differences were found in the virulence of the three passages called virulent, intermediate, and avirulent. Avirulent virus was derived by attenuation of virulent virus in cell culture and intermediate virus was derived by passage of avirulent virus in a pig.

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Amid growing evidence that numerous viral infections can produce immunopathology, including nonspecific polyclonal lymphocyte activation, the need to test the direct impact of an infecting virus on the immune system of the host is crucial. This can best be tested in the isolator piglet model in which maternal and other extrinsic influences can be excluded. Therefore, neonatal isolator piglets were colonized with a benign Escherichia coli, or kept germfree, and then inoculated with wild-type porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) or sham medium.

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The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of single-strain and multi-strain vaccines for the prevention of the respiratory facet of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. The study comprised six groups of pigs (A through F, eight pigs per group). At the beginning of the study (Day 0) Groups C and D were vaccinated with a single-strain vaccine, and Groups E and F were vaccinated with a multi-strain vaccine.

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The primary objective of the study was to determine strain specificity of the immune response of pigs following vaccination with selected strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). The experimental design included five groups (I through V, six pigs per group) free of antibody for PRRSV at the beginning of the experiment (day 0). On day 0, groups III, IV, and V were vaccinated with attenuated versions of PRRSV strains 8, 9, and 14, respectively.

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Porcine alveolar macrophages were found to be highly susceptible to the cytolytic effects of a toxin (Shiga toxin [Stx]) produced by certain strains of Escherichia coli and sometimes associated with clinical disease in pigs and other animals. In comparison with the cells that are most commonly used for Stx detection and titration in vitro (namely, Vero cells), porcine alveolar macrophages appeared to be generally more sensitive and test results could be obtained in less time. Moreover, unlike Vero cells, porcine alveolar macrophages need not be continuously propagated to ensure immediate availability.

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From a worldwide perspective, porcine parvovirus (PPV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) are the most common viral causes of porcine reproductive failure. A typical epidemic of PPV-induced reproductive failure is presented as an increased number of mummified fetuses and sometimes, entire litters are mummified. If infection with PPV is very early in gestation, the number of liveborn pigs may be further reduced as a result of embryonic death and resorption.

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Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of vaccination of pregnant gilts with an attenuated strain of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).

Animals: 16 pregnant gilts.

Procedure: Pregnant gilts free of antibodies for PRRSV were assigned (4 gilts/group) to the following groups: group I, untreated controls; group II, vaccinated on day 60 of gestation; group III, vaccinated on day 60 of gestation and exposed to virulent PRRSV on day 90 of gestation; and group IV, exposed to virulent PRRSV on day 90 of gestation.

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Objective: To determine stability of the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) pattern of a porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome vaccine virus and patterns of other viral strains as they replicate in pigs.

Sample Population: Field samples of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and samples from 2 weaned pigs, 2 nursery-age pigs, and 5 gilts experimentally infected with PRRSV.

Procedure: PRRSV was isolated from field samples, experimentally infected pigs, or pigs that were in contact with experimentally infected pigs.

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Objective: To determine the origin and clinical relevance of selected strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus (PRRSV).

Animals: 38 pigs without antibodies for PRRSV.

Procedure: A seemingly uncommon restriction endonuclease digestion site in a commercially available vaccine strain of attenuated PRRSV was tested for its stability and prevalence under defined conditions.

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Objective: To determine the predominant strain of progeny virus in samples obtained from cell cultures and pigs exposed simultaneously to attenuated and virulent strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).

Sample Population: Cell cultures and twenty 4-week-old pigs.

Procedure: Cell cultures and pigs were simultaneously exposed to various relative concentrations of an attenuated, cell-culture-adapted vaccine strain and a virulent field strain of PRRSV.

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Objective: To determine clinical consequences of exposing pregnant gilts to strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus (PRRSV) isolated from field cases of "atypical" or "acute" PRRS in vaccinated herds.

Animals: 20 pregnant gilts and their pigs and fetuses.

Procedure: 8 pregnant gilts (principals: 4 groups [2 gilts/group]) were exposed oronasally at or about 45 days of gestation to 1 of 4 strains of PRRSV and necropsied 6 weeks later.

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Objective: To determine the effect of congenital and early postnatal infection of pigs with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) on postnatal survival and growth.

Animals: 20 pregnant gilts and their pigs and fetuses.

Procedure: 16 pregnant gilts (principals) comprising 4 groups (4 gilts/group) were exposed oronasally to 4 strains of PRRSV (a vaccine strain, and 3 field strains) at or about day 90 of gestation.

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Modern-day biotechnology has an almost unlimited number of possibilities for reducing the impact of hereditary and infectious diseases. To date one of its most visible and rewarding applications for veterinary medicine has been in the genetic engineering of vaccines and diagnostics to assist in the eventual eradication of pseudorabies (PR, Aujeszky's disease). In the following review we summarize some of the most pertinent issues relative to PR eradication and point out the present and potential role of biotechnology in achieving our goal.

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Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) strains from 13 states in the United States, Guatemala and Canada were used to compare the envelope glycoprotein gene (ORF 5) nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences. The gene was the same size, 603 nt, for all the 22 field strains. These strains had 89-94% amino acid identity compared to reference strain VR 2332.

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Objective: To compare the virulence of selected strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) relative to reproductive performance of pregnant gilts.

Design: 16 pregnant gilts (principals) were exposed oronasally to 4 strains (vaccine strain RespPRRS, field strains VR-2385, VR-2431, and NADC-8, 4 gilts/strain) of PRRSV on or about day 90 of gestation, 4 pregnant gilts (controls) were kept under similar conditions, except for exposure to PRRSV. Samples and specimens obtained from gilts, pigs (before ingestion of colostrum), and fetuses were tested for PRRSV and homologous antibody.

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A highly sensitive method of detecting infection of live pigs with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) was developed by testing alveolar macrophages collected by pulmonary lavage. Five pigs were exposed by oronasal inoculation or by contact to PRRSV when they were 10 (1 pig) or 14 weeks (4 pigs) of age. Diagnostic samples (alveolar macrophages and sera) were collected from each pig just before exposure to PRRSV.

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The most suitable tissue samples and test procedures for the etiologic diagnosis of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) were found to depend on several variables including the age of the pig from which tissues were collected, the stage of infection (acute or persistent), the available complement of diagnostic reagents, and the urgency in obtaining results. When the diagnosis involved acute infection of congenitally or neonatally infected pigs, and susceptible cell culture(s) was available for virus isolation, then both serum and alveolar macrophages (AM) were reliable samples. Alveolar macrophages flushed from infected lungs provided a temporal advantage, however, in that in addition to their use for virus isolation, i.

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Pregnant gilts were exposed to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) by IV inoculation at or about gestation day 30 (3 gilts), 50 (3 gilts), 70 (3 gilts), or 90 (5 gilts) to investigate the likelihood of transplacental infection with PRRSV at various stages of gestation. At or about 3, 6, and 9 weeks after exposure, gilts were either euthanatized while still pregnant or allowed to farrow. Gilts and pigs were observed for clinical signs of infection, and gilts, pigs, and fetuses were tested for PRRSV and homologous antibody.

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The size and antigenic relationships among structural proteins (VPs) of canine parvovirus (CPV), feline parvovirus (FPV), porcine parvovirus (PPV), minute virus of mice (MVM) and bovine parvovirus (BPV) were determined by SDS-PAGE of radiolabelled, purified virus and immunoprecipitated viral proteins. Mature virions of CPV, FPV, PPV and MVM were composed of three VPs designated VP1, VP2 and VP3. The corresponding proteins of each virus were similar in molecular weight [79,000 to 82,500 (VP1), 65,000 to 66,000 (VP2), 62,000 to 63,500 (VP3)].

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