Control of Aujeszky's disease
Kit, S.; Awaya, Y.; Otsuka, H.; Kit, M.; Liauw, H.; Bartkoski, M.
Veterinary Record 124(24): 635
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 2549673 Document Number: 342320
A sensitive and accurate blocking ELISA kit, developed for use with the first genetically engineered, modified-live Aujeszky's disease (AD) virus "marker" vaccine which harbours deletions in the thymidine kinase and glycoprotein g92(gIII) genes (Omnimark-PRV), was used to test more than 500 porcine serum samples. The test kit utilises horseradish peroxidase-conjugated to AD virus g92(gIII) monoclonal antibody and a cloned AD virus g92(gIII) antigen to coat wells of microtitre test plates and undiluted serum to block conjugate binding. Negative S/N (optical density of test sample to that of no serum control sample) values of >0.7 were obtained with 300 samples from uninfected pigs, with 32 samples from pigs immunized with Omnimark-PRV including 2 immunized with 1000 times the standard dose and with samples containing antibodies to more than 14 other viruses. All the serum samples (over 200) with virus neutralization (VN) titres >1.4 from feral pigs and infected herds and 23 of 29 samples from pigs in infected herds with VN titres <1.4 had positive S/N values <0.7 (usually <0.3). It is suggested that Omnimark-PRV immunization in conjunction with the differential g92(gIII) test kit could be powerful tools in the control and eradication of Aujeszky's disease.