Incidence of Classical Swine Fever (CSF) in Wild Boar in a Densely Populated Area Indicating CSF. Virus Persistence as a Mechanism for Virus Perpetuation

A virological survey was carried out to establish the distribution of classical swine fever (CSF) virus among wild boar in the Federal State of Brandenburg, Germany. Organ materials and blood samples were collected from 11 670 wild boar shot or found dead during the period March 1995 to December 1997. In total 211 (1.8%) wild boar were positive for CSF virus or antigen. The incidence of CSF-positive animals decreased continuously from 4.6% at the beginning of the epidemic in 1995 to 0.7% in 1997. The highest incidence of positive animals (22%) was found in wild-boar piglets younger than 3 months of age in 1995. The findings were indicative for the decisive role which young wild boar play in the epidemiology of CSF. Following intrauterine transfer some of the wild-boar piglets were probably persistently infected with CSF virus as experienced experimentally. Such piglets can be held responsible for CSF virus perpetuation within the wild-boar population. No CSF virus was isolated from adult wild boar weighing more than 75 kg. During 3 years of monitoring a sufficient number of susceptible wild boar, in particular young animals, was available to maintain the infection chain in that area. It was concluded that persistently infected piglets and the high population density of wild boar in the Brandenburg region offered optimal conditions for the establishment of an CSF epidemic.     

Fatty acid and wax biosynthesis in susceptible and triallate-resistant Avena fatua L.

The recent characterization of triallate-resistant lines of wild oat (Avena fatua L.) deficient in triallate sulfoxidation provides an experimental system to investigate and differentiate the effects of triallate and triallate sulfoxide on wax and lipid biosynthesis. Greenhouse applications of triallate dramatically reduced epicuticular wax deposition in susceptible (S) but not resistant (R) wild oats. Triallate treatment had no effect on in-vivo concentrations of C₁₂ to C₂₆ fatty acids and fatty alcohols in R plants, while elongated fatty acid fractions (C>18) were significantly reduced in S plants. In contrast, treatment with triallate sulfoxide reduced in-vivo concentrations of elongated fatty acids equally in R and S, supporting the hypothesis that triallate sulfoxide is more inhibitory than triallate towards fatty acid elongases. Although de-novo synthesis of short-chain fatty acids was not affected by triallate or triallate sulfoxide in R or S plants, synthesis of elongated fatty acid fractions was dramatically reduced in S plants by triallate. Fatty acid biosynthesis in R and S plants was equally sensitive to triallate sulfoxide. The results support the idea that in-vivo triallate sulfoxidation is necessary for herbicidal activity, and confirm that reduced rates of triallate sulfoxidation confer resistance in R wild oats. © 1997 SCI.