Immunization of pigs with the attenuated S- strain of Japanese encephalitis virus

The attenuated S- strain of Japanese encephalitis virus was produced from a wild strain of this virus by serial cultivation in primary bovine kidney cell cultures at 30 degrees C. Pigs were inoculated with it and examined for ability to produce antibody and protect themselves from infection with a wild strain used for challenge. In pigs inoculated with a single dose of 10(6.5) approximately 10(7.5) TCID50 of the S- strain, the neutralizing antibody titer or hemagglutination-inhibiting antibody (HI) titer increased to 10 approximately 320. An antibody titer exceeding 10 was maintained for 2 approximately 9 weeks. In pigs inoculated twice with 10(6.5) approximately 10(7.0) TCID50 of the S- strain, HI titer increased to 80 approximately 640. In many of these pigs, HI titers of 80 approximately 160 persisted for more than 6 weeks. Pigs inoculated once or twice with 10(7.0) approximately 10(7.5) TCID50 of the S- strain were challenged by inoculation with 10(4.5) approximately 10(5.5) TCID50 of a wild strain and examined for the occurrence of viremia. As a result, an ability to protect from infection was demonstrated in pigs which showed an antibody titer surpassing 10 at the time of challenge. Pregnant sows inoculated with 10(7.0) TCID50 of the S- strain were challenged by inoculation with 10(7.0) TCID50 of a wild strain. Neither death nor infection occurred to any fetus harbored by them. From these results, it is concluded that the S- strain can be used as live virus vaccine for porcine practice.