EXPERIMENTS ON THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PSEUDORABIES : II. PREVALENCE OF THE DISEASE AMONG MIDDLE WESTERN SWINE AND THE...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Virology
• Epidemiology
• Animal Health

Background:

• Pseudorabies is a significant concern in swine populations.
• The prevalence and transmission routes of pseudorabies in the Midwest require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of pseudorabies virus-neutralizing antibodies in swine serum.
• To investigate the role of wild brown rats in pseudorabies epidemiology.
• To explore potential transmission pathways between swine and cattle.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of pooled and individual swine serum samples for antibodies.
• Experimental infection of wild brown rats with pseudorabies virus.
• Observation of disease transmission from infected rat carcasses to swine.
• Evaluation of swine-to-cattle transmission potential.

Main Results:

• Pseudorabies is highly prevalent and largely unrecognized in Midwestern hogs.
• Wild brown rats are susceptible to fatal pseudorabies infection.
• Infected rat carcasses can transmit the virus to swine.
• Swine may act as a source of infection for cattle.

Conclusions:

• Rats are a significant factor in pseudorabies epidemiology, acting as an initial infection source and a means of farm-to-farm spread.
• Swine herds represent a reservoir for pseudorabies virus.
• Further research is needed to control pseudorabies transmission in swine and prevent interspecies spread.