Triggers for foot and mouth disease vaccination in the United States.

In the United States, the national policy for foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccination lacks clarity. To better understand what potential Incident Commanders see as important 'triggers' or factors to consider for implementing vaccination as a control strategy, the authors presented seven such individuals with an FMD outbreak scenario that started in north-western Illinois and spread across state lines by the end of the fifth week. The scenario had four infected premises at the end of week one, 13 at the end of week two, and 60 (including both infected and previously depopulated premises) by the end of week five. Two individuals favoured vaccination the first week of the outbreak scenario, one did not want to vaccinate during the scenario, and the remainder wanted vaccination at some time during the scenario. Respondents ranked nine specific factors to take into consideration when deciding whether or not to vaccinate. Of these, the capability to manage the outbreak by stamping out ranked first. Many of the issues raised in this report are applicable to other countries that are currently FMD-free without vaccination.

The isolation of exotic Newcastle disease (END) virus from nonpoultry avian species associated with the epidemic of END in chickens in southern California: 2002-2003.

During the first 11 months of the 2002-2003 exotic Newcastle disease (END) epidemic in chickens in southern California, a total of 27,688 cloacal and tracheal (oropharyngeal) swab pools and/or tissue pools from 86 different avian species other than chickens and turkeys were submitted for Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolation and characterization. Fifty-seven specimens (0.23%), representing 12 species of birds and 13 unspecified species, from a total of 24,409 accessions or submissions were positive for NDV. The NDV isolate was characterized as ENDV by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Of the 11,486 premises with other avian species, 1599 also had chickens. There were 1900 positive chicken samples from 164 premises, and 56 positive other avian species from 51 premises. Twelve premises had both positive chickens and positive other avian species. All positive other avian species were located on premises either on or within a 1 km radius of known infected premises. In this epidemic, premises with positive other avian species were significantly more likely to have chickens, and were significantly more likely to have positive chickens (OR = 3.7, P < 0.0001).

Seroprevalence of antibodies against equine arteritis virus in horses residing in the United States and imported horses.

OBJECTIVE: To compare seroprevalence of antibodies against equine arteritis virus (EAV) in horses residing in the United States with that of imported horses. DESIGN: Serologic survey. SAMPLE POPULATION: Serum samples from 364 horses on 44 equine operations in California and 226 horses imported from various countries. PROCEDURE: Serum samples were collected from each imported horse and from up to 20 horses on each operation. For resident horses, the number of sampled horses on each operation was determined on the basis of the number of horses on the operation. Samples were tested for antibodies against EAV by use of a serum neutralization test. RESULTS: 1.9% of resident horses and 18.6% of imported horses were seropositive to EAV, including 16.1% of imported stallions. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicate that the EAV seroprevalence of horses residing in California is considerably lower than that of imported horses, including imported stallions.

Equine arteritis virus derived from an infectious cDNA clone is attenuated and genetically stable in infected stallions.

Virus derived from an infectious cDNA clone of equine arteritis virus (EAV030H) was intranasally inoculated into two stallions, neither of which subsequently developed clinical manifestations of equine viral arteritis (EVA). Virus was isolated from nasal swabs and mononuclear cells collected from both stallions

Phylogenetic characterization of a highly attenuated strain of equine arteritis virus from the semen of a persistently infected standardbred stallion.

An avirulent, novel variant of equine arteritis virus (EAV; CA95G) was isolated from the semen of a persistently infected Standardbred stallion. The CA95G virus caused subclinical infection and seroconversion in susceptible horses, and virus was isolated only once from blood and nasal secretions collected from 6 experimentally infected horses. Sequence analysis of genes encoding the known EAV structural proteins shows that this highly attenuated strain of EAV is genetically similar to virulent field strains of EAV and, in particular, to a strain of EAV that was isolated during an outbreak of equine viral arteritis in western Canada in 1986. Not only is the carrier stallion the critical natural reservoir of EAV, but genetic diversity of the virus is generated in the course of persistent infection of carrier stallions. The subtle genetic changes that facilitate and maintain persistent EAV infection of the stallion's reproductive tract likely influence phenotypic properties of the virus such as virulence.

Passive transfer, rate of decay, and protein specificity of antibodies against equine arteritis virus in horses from a Standardbred herd with high seroprevalence.

OBJECTIVE: To determine rate of decay of passively acquired antibodies in Standardbred foals on a farm with a high seroprevalence to equine arteritis virus (EAV) and to determine whether vertical or horizontal transmission of the virus was responsible for infection on the farm. DESIGN: Repeated-measures study. ANIMALS: 46 Standardbred horses (15 brood mares and their foals, 5 stallions, and 11 young horses). PROCEDURE: Serum samples obtained from horses on the farm were evaluated by serum neutralization and western immunoblot analysis to detect EAV-specific antibodies. The half-life of passively acquired antibodies in foals was estimated by use of regression analysis. RESULTS: Most (14/15) of the mares evaluated were seropositive to EAV. After suckling, their foals were also seropositive. Mean biological half-life for passively acquired antibodies in serum samples obtained from foals was 32 days (r2 = 0.61). The foal born to a seronegative dam and all 11 young horses from the farm were seronegative to EAV. At least 2 of 5 stallions on the farm were persistently infected carriers that were shedding virus in their semen. Immunoblot analysis of seropositive serum samples most consistently recognized the M protein of EAV. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Analysis of these data indicated that a modified-live EAV vaccine can be administered to foals after they are 8 months old without risk of interference from maternal antibodies, regardless of serologic status of the foal's dam. Horizontal transmission of EAV via the respiratory tract apparently was uncommon on the farm, indicating that mares primarily were infected by venereal transmission of virus from carrier stallions.

Serologic response of horses to the structural proteins of equine arteritis virus.

Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the causative agent of equine viral arteritis, an apparently emerging disease of equids. In this study, the antibody response of horses to the structural proteins of EAV was evaluated using gradient-purified EAV virions and baculovirus-expressed recombinant EAV structural proteins (G(L), G(S), M, N) as antigens in a Western immunoblotting assay. Thirty-three sera from horses that previously had been naturally or experimentally infected with EAV were evaluated, including samples from mares, geldings, and both persistently and nonpersistently infected stallions. Sera also were evaluated from 4 horses that had been vaccinated with the commercial modified live EAV vaccine. The data suggest that the serologic response of individual horses to EAV may vary with the infecting virus strain and duration of infection. The M protein was most consistently recognized by the various serum samples, whereas the response to the N and G(L) proteins was variable and the G(S) protein was bound by only 1 serum sample. The immunoblotting assay definitively established the protein specificity of the humoral response of horses to EAV; however, it clearly is less sensitive than the standard serum neutralization (SN) test--2 of the 37 sera that were seropositive by the SN test failed to react in the immunoblot assay with any EAV structural protein. Furthermore, the G(L) protein expresses the known neutralization determinants of EAV, yet only 22 of the 37 sera that had SN antibodies bound the G(L) protein in the immunoblotting assay. Information from this study will assist ongoing efforts to develop improved methods for the serologic diagnosis of EAV infection of horses.