The great progress achieved in recent years in molecular biology and genetic engineering disciplines enabled the creation of Aujeszky’s disease (AD) virus (SHV-1) deletion mutants, which establish a base for the elaboration of deletion (marker) vaccines. These vaccines together with appropriate serological tests (ELISA) enable the realization of a vaccination-eradication programme that gives real chances to eliminate SHV-1 from infected farms (regions, countries). The objective of the study was to introduce and evaluate the possibilities of SHV-1 elimination from pig populations in two highly infected pig farms in the Warmia and Masuria province in Poland. Pig vaccinations were done using deleted, gE- and TK- negative, live attenuated Nobi - Porvac Aujeszky Live Begonia vaccine (at present Porcilis Begonia) produced by Intervet Int., Holland. Reproductive pigs were vaccinated twice 4 weeks apart and then every 4 months at the same time. Replacement gilts were vaccinated twice before service and replacement boars twice in the quarantine period. Piglets born to vaccinated dams were vaccinated at 10-12 and 14-16 weeks of age. Observations of postvaccinal adverse effects and control of the epizootic situation in both herds were conducted. Clinical and epizootiological studies revealed neither local nor general adverse effects in pigs of various age groups. In spite of high SHV-1 infection levels no clinical signs of AD during vaccination - eradication programme in both herds were observed. This proved innocuity and good efficacy of Porcilis Begonia vaccine. The stages of implementing the vaccination-eradication programme in pig herds, as well as the necessity of a quick introduction of a complex AD eradication programme in Poland according to the general tendency in the EU were also presented in the paper.
Vaccinations play an important role in the control of Aujeszky’s disease (AD) because they interrupt the chain of piglet morbidity and mortality as well as decreasing the spread of Herpesvirus suis type 1 (SHV-1). Conventional vaccines, however, preclude serological differentiation between vaccinated and SHV-1 infected pigs. Such differentiation has only become possible after the creation of deleted (marker) vaccines, which, together with the appropriate serological tests (ELISA), have enabled the realisation of a „vaccination - eradication programme” and presented a new perspective on AD eradication in those countries where pigs are vaccinated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of an intensive vaccination programme using deleted vaccine in decreasing the spread of SHV-1 in two highly infected pig farms covered in the „vaccination - eradication programme”. All the pigs were vaccinated with deleted, gE- and TK-negative, live attenuated Nobi - Porvac Aujeszky Live Begonia (at present Porcilis Begonia) vaccine - Intervet Int. Holland according to its accepted programme: reproductive pigs 4 months apart and fattening pigs twice at 10-12 and 14-16 week of age. Control serological examinations with gE-ELISA using CHEKIT-PRV-gl-EIA, dr Bommeli AG, Switzerland were performed. In groups of sows a gradual, slow decrease of SHV-1 infection rates from 100% before vaccination to 60% in farm R and 41.7% in farm В after the 4th re-vaccination were observed. A more rapid decrease of SHV-1 infection rates among fattening pigs - from 90% to 10% after 13 months and 0% after the 19 month of herd vaccinations in farm R, and from 80% to 0% as early as after 7 months of herd vaccination in farm В were observed. Serological examinations of all sows and boars after 2.5 years of herd vaccination revealed a decrease of SHV-1 infection rates from 100% to 34,9% in farm R and 28.2% in farm В respectively. This demonstrated that appropriately prepared and consequently realised vaccination programmes of all pigs, using a good quality deleted vaccine, radically decreases the spread of virulent SHV-1 virus in infected herds. The possibilities of serological differentiation between immunised and infected pigs combined with a natural rotation of infected reproductive pigs and, next, with an appropriate and properly conducted, economically viable elimination of seropositives creates a realistic chance of eliminating virulent SHV-1 even from highly infected swine herds.
The first Aujeszky's disease (AD) vaccination - eradication programme in Poland was introduced in two different in size farrow-to-finish farms with a high percentage of latently infected pigs. All the pigs were vaccinated with gE- and TK-negative vaccine Nobi-Porvac Aujeszky Live Begonia (Intervet, Holland) according to the following schedule: breeding stock twice with a 4-week interval and then 3 times yearly, replacement gilts at 10-12 weeks of age, 4 weeks later and then together with sows and boars, fattening pigs twice at 10-12 weeks of age and 4 weeks later. In both herds clinical signs, postvaccinal humoral immune response as well as gE-seroprevalence were examined. After introduction of the vaccination programme no clinical signs of AD and neither local nor general adverse effects in pigs were observed. In the sows tested the vaccination schedule enabled high levels of neutralizing antibodies to be maintained. In the fattening pigs born to the vaccinated sows low antibody levels after the first and regular booster effect two weeks after the second vaccination were observed. An intensive vaccination programme is a good tool to minimize AD virus infections in pigs and, in conjunction with normal breeding stock turnover, strongly reduces the prevalence of gE-seropositive breeding and fattening pigs.
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.
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