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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Virus and Prion Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #80858
Title: TRANSMISSIBLE GASTROENTERITIS CORONAVIRUS CARRIER SOW

Author
item Woods, Roger
item Wesley, Ronald

Submitted to: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The disease transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) has been estimated to cost swine producers more than 100 million dollars a year due to deaths in young pigs, poor feed conversion in finishing animals, and loss of export markets for breeding stock. Because commercial vaccines are ineffective in eliminating the disease and reservoirs of the virus are unknown, methods to control the disease have not been successful. Gilts exposed to virulent TGE virus were evaluated as a potential reservoir for the virus. In this study we proved that virus isolated from a gilt 1 month or 18 months after a TGE infection would produce a lethal infection in young pigs. The study demonstrates gilts may be a natural reservoir for the virulent TGE virus. Identification of a natural reservoir is an important step in efforts to eliminate the disease from the swine population.

Technical Abstract: A sow infected with virulent transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) shed virulent virus in her feces for 18 months. The virus was isolated from rectal swabs beginning 2 days postexposure (PE) and continued at irregular intervals. Virus shedding was detected on 24 separate occasions. The titer of the virus shed ranged from 1 x 10**2 pfu/ml to 7.5 x 10**3 pfu/ml, while the duration of the shedding ranged from 1 to 5 consecutive days. Inoculation of 3-day-old piglets with TGEV isolated from the sow proved the virus was virulent throughout the study. Virulent TGEV was isolated from the spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, and the liver of the sow 544 days PE. This study demonstrates an apparently healthy sow can be a reservoir and shed virulent TGEV for an extended period of time.