EN
The development in the late 80-s of the deleted (marker) vaccines, which enable serological differentiation between pigs infected with Herpesvirus suis type 1 (SHV-1) and those vaccinated with these vaccines, was the turning point in Aujeszky’s disease (AD) eradication. A vaccination-eradication programme based on deleted, mainly gE-negative, vaccines is at present intensively implemented in several European countries and in the United States with planned completion in the year 2000. The objective of the study was to evaluate the results of SHV-1 elimination from pig farms after 5 years of implementing the vaccination-eradication programme. The study was carried out in two highly infected pig farms R. and B. located in the north-eastern region of Poland, in which implementation of this programme was the most advanced. In the years 1996-1998 intensive vaccinations of all the pigs in both farms using Porcilis Begonia vaccine (Intervet, Holland) were continued. To control the decrease of SHV-1 infection level, the serological examinations of reproductive pigs and pigs from other age groups using gE-ELISA - Pseudorabies Virus gp I Antibody Test Kit (Herd Chek Anti-PRV gp I), IDEXX Lab. Inc. USA were performed. In farm R. the study revealed a decrease of SHV-1 infection level in reproductive pigs from 100% to 10,7% after 3.5 years of pig vaccinations. Positive results were found in only 8 out of 72 sows, with no seropositives in boars and fatteners. In farm B. after 4.5 years of pig vaccinations and 1.5 years of culling SHV-1 infected reproductive pigs, only 3 doubtful results (1 boar, 2 sows) out of 1714 sows and gilts and 38 boars were found. There were no seropositives among piglets and fatteners. Farm B. is the first pig farm in Poland in which SHV-1 was eliminated using „vaccination-eradication programme” for about 5 years (62 months). It is proof that this programme can be effective in SHV-1 elimination even in very large and highly infected pig farms.