Quantitative relationship of systemic virus concentration on growth and immune response in pigs

Ninety-six pigs from a herd naive for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus were weaned (10 +/- 3 d of age), penned individually in isolation rooms, and, at 29 +/- 4 d of age, oronasally inoculated with a 2-mL dose of 10(4.3) JA142 PRRS virus/ mL. Body weight; feed intake; and serum concentrations of PRRS virus, interferon, and alpha1-acylglycoprotein were determined for each pig every 4 d on d -8 to 24 postinoculation to quantify the effect of PRRS exposure on the immune response and growth of pigs. Another objective was to determine whether a quantitative relationship between a measure of systemic (serum) virus concentration and pig growth exists. Serum PRRS virus and interferon peaked at 10(5) virus/mL and 69% protection, respectively, at 4 d postinoculation and then declined steadily. Serum alpha1-acylglycoprotein concentration peaked at 12 d postinoculation. Pig weight gains and feed intake were reduced sharply in the initial 8 d postinoculation and to a lesser degree for 24 d postinoculation. The serum concentration of virus and to a lesser degree serum concentrations of interferon and alpha1-acylglycoprotein were quantitatively related to body weight gain and feed intake. The magnitude of the relationship was dependent on the stage of recovery from PRRS infection. Specifically, each log increase in serum virus concentration was associated with a reduction of 4-d pig gain and feed intake of .047 kg and .189 kg, respectively, in 5.5-kg pigs 4 d postinoculation and .085 kg and .036 kg, respectively, in 12.5-kg pigs at 20 d postinoculation. Based on these data, factors that minimize the systemic presence of a virus in pigs result in improvements in pig growth that are quantitatively related to the degree of systemic virus elimination or minimization.