Characterization and pathogenicity for pigs of a hog cholera virus strain isolated from wild boars

One hog cholera virus strain isolated from an outbreak of the disease in a wild boar breeding herd in Brittany (France) in 1990 has been characterized with a panel of monoclonal antibodies to hog cholera virus and ruminant pestiviruses: the strain was found to be indistinguishable from that of other domestic pig isolates. The pathogenicity of the strain to domestic pigs was evaluated by infecting intranasally, intramuscularly and by contact 17 specific pathogen-free 6-week- and 12-week-old pigs. Sixteen of the 17 pigs showed symptoms of hog cholera. The virus was detected in the blood of the 16 pigs during all phases of hyperthermia which persisted up to death or the terminal phase, ie between 16 and 29 days post-infection. One animal recovered after presenting a mild form of the disease. This pig was the only one which raised antibodies to the virus. Typical hog cholera lesions were observed in 2 pigs only; the other animal showed very few pathological changes. No relationship between intensity or duration of the disease and pathological changes could be established.