Immune responses in swine given lipid-conjugated pseudorabies viral antigens

The immune response was compared in pigs given inactivated pseudorabies virus (PRV) antigens (with or without adjuvant) or PRV antigens covalently conjugated with a fatty acid (lauric acid) to enhance delayed-type hypersensitivity. The pigs were given 2 inoculations, 14 days apart, and were challenge exposed 28 days after the 1st inoculation. Pibs inoculated with PRV antigens, with or without adjuvant, had significant virus-neutralizing (VN) antibodies before challenge exposure, but the pigs inoculated with lipid-conjugated PRV antigens had no detectable VN antibodies, with the exception of 1 pig. All inoculated pigs were positive by the microimmunodiffusion test at postinoculation day 14 and remained positive throughout the experiment. The inoculated pigs had delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions when skin tested a postinoculation day 25; the pigs inoculated with lipid-conjugated PRV antigens had a more pronounced reaction. Inoculated pigs had mild respiratory signs on the 3rd through the 6th days after challange exposure, with no observable difference in severity between the inoculated groups. The control pigs had acute signs of PRV, and 3 or 4 pigs died 5 to 8 days after challenge exposure. The average VN titers of the different inoculated groups of pigs were nearly equal 2 weeks after challenge exposure. Results indicated that both humoral antibodies and cell-mediated immunity have a role in PRV infections in swine.