An E2 sub-unit marker vaccine does not prevent horizontal or vertical transmission of classical swine fever virus

An experimental infection with classical swine fever (CSF) virus in E2 sub-unit marker vaccine vaccinated gilts was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of vaccination on virus transmission and course of the disease. Therefore, clinical signs as well as horizontal and vertical virus transmission were monitored in two inoculated, non-vaccinated and 10 vaccinated conventional gilts, housed in individual sow boxes. Within 10 days post-inoculation, all vaccinated gilts became infected. Depending on the definition of the infectious period, two different estimates of R0 were calculated (R0=14.8 and 3.3), both significantly larger than 1 (P<0.01). In three out of the eight vaccinated pregnant gilts vertical virus transmission occurred, resulting in infected offspring. Based on the results of this experiment, it can be concluded that double vaccination with an E2 sub-unit marker vaccine only protects pregnant gilts from the clinical course of the disease but does not prevent horizontal nor vertical spread of the CSF virus.