An epidemiological model of rinderpest. II. Simulations of the behaviour of rinderpest virus in populations

Fixed parameters for different hypothetical strains of rinderpest virus (RV) and different susceptible populations are described together with details of their derivation. Simulations were then carried out in a computer model to determine the effects that varying these parameters would have on the behaviour of RV in the different populations. The results indicated that virulent strains of RV are more likely to behave in epidemic fashion whereas milder strains tend towards persistence and the establishment of endemicity. High herd immunity levels prevent virus transmission and low herd immunity levels encourage epidemic transmission. Intermediate levels of immunity assist the establishment of endemicity. The virus is able to persist in large populations for longer than in small populations. Different vaccination strategies were also investigated. In areas where vaccination is inefficient annual vaccination of all stock may be the best policy for inducing high levels of herd immunity. In endemic areas and in herds recovering from epidemics the prevalence of clinically affected animals may be very low. In these situations veterinary officers are more likely to find clinical cases by examining cattle for mouth lesions rather than by checking for diarrhoea or high mortalities.     

Use of the caprinised strain of rinderpest virus for potency testing an attenuated cell culture rinderpest vaccine

The caprinised strain of rinderpest virus was inoculated into goats to produce a challenge stock. These goats were kept with control animals (goats, sheep, calves). In this trial the caprinised strain was shown to have a mild pathogenicity for goats and it spread to one of two contact goats but not from goats to other species. The caprinised strain was then tested on cattle where a febrile reaction was observed. The caprinised strain also did not spread between cattle. The cattle vaccinated with a freeze-dried vaccine produced from the attenuated Kabete RBKO strain on bovine kidney cells were then challenged with the caprinised strain with good results.     

Microelisa test for detecting antibodies to rinderpest virus antigens

Summary A microplate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed which detected antibodies to a soluble antigen prepared from sonicated rinderpest virus-infected cells. The ELISA detected titres of antibody to the virus in the sera of cattle 3 weeks after immunisation with tissue culture rinderpest virus vaccine which were similar to those detected by the virus neutralisation test. The ELISA test shows potential as a rapid and economic technique for screening large numbers of sera for antibody to rinderpest virus.

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La Prueba Micro-Elisa Para Detectar Anticuerpos Producidos Por Antigenos Del Virus De Rinderpest

Resumen Se utilizó la prueba micro-ELISA para detectar anticuerpos producidos por un antígeno soluble preparado con células sonicadasinfectadas con el virus de rinderpest. La prueba ELISA detectó anticuerpos en el suero de bovinos, 3 semanas después de que éstos fueron inmunizados con la vacuna de rinderpest, preparada ésta en cultivos celulares. Los anticuerpos detectados fueron similares a los estudiados mediante la prueba de neutralización viral. La prueba ELISA se perfila como una técnica rápida y económica para trabajar un número apreciable de muestras de suero con el fin de detectar anticuerpos del virus de rinderpest.

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Un Micro-Test Elisa Pour Deceler Les Anticorps Specifiques Du Vir Us Bovipestique

Résumé Un test immuno-enzymatique (ELISA) a été mis au point déceler les anticorps correspondant à un antigène préparé par traitement aux ultra-sons de cellules infectées. Les titres sériques obtenus par cette méthode dans les sérums de bovins immunisés trois semaines auparavant avec du vaccin de culture cellulaire se sont révélés comparables à ceux obtenus par la méthode classique de séroneutralisation. Le test ELISA apparait comme un moyen rapide et économique pour rechercher les anticorps spécifiques du virus bovipestique dans des sérums en grand nombre.

     

Protection of goats against peste-des-petits-ruminants with attenuated rinderpest virus

Goats vaccinated with attenuated rinderpest were protected from peste-des-petits-ruminants virus for at least 12 months; vaccinated animals were unable to transmit the challenge virus. Before challenge neutralising antibodies were directed primarily against rinderpest but following exposure to peste-des-petits-ruminants, a high antibody level to both viruses was found.     

Humoral antibody response in animals infected with virulent rinderpest virus

Summary Humoral antibody responses in cattle or rabbits infected with virulent rinderpest virus or lapinised rinderpest virus respectively were assessed. Rinderpest specific antibodies could be first detected 6 days post-infection. No correlation could be established between antibody response and the course of the disease in infected animals during the early stages of infection. The animals with fatal infection either did not respond or had a transient antibody response. A gradual increase in antibody titre from 7 days post-infection was observed in animals which ultimately recovered.

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Respuesta De Anticuerpos Humorales En Animales Infectados Con Virus Virulento De Rinderpest

Resumen Se llevó a cabo un estudio tendiente a captar la respuesta de anticuerpos humorales en bovinos o conejos infectados con virus virulento de rinderpest o virus lapinizado de rinderpest, respectivamente. Los anticuerpos específicos de rinderpest fueron detectados a partir de los 6 días despues de la inoculación. No se pudo establecer correlación entre la respuesta de anticuerpos y el curso de la enfermedad en animales infectados, durante los estadíos iniciales de la enfermedad. Los animales con infecciones fatales o no respondieron o tuvieron una respuesta humoral débil. Los animales que se recuperaron presentaron un alza progresiva en el nivel de anticuerpos desde los 7 días después de la infección.

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Response Immunitaire Humorale Chez Des Animaux Infectes Par Le Virus De La Peste Bovine

Résumé Les réponses immunitaires de bovines ou lapins infectés respectivement par le virus de la peste bovine virulent ou lapinisé ont été évaluées. Des anticorps spécifiques contre la peste bovine ont pu être décelés 6 jours après l'infection. Aucune corrélation n'a pu être établie entre la réponse immunitaire et l'évolution de la maladie chez les animaux durant les premiers stades de l'infection. Les animaux n'ayant pas survécu soit n'ont pas développé une réponse immunitaire soit l'on présentée mais de façon transitoire. Une augmentation graduelle de taux d'anticorps à partir du 7e jour après l'infection a été observée chez les animaux qui ont fini par guérir.

     

Development and distribution of rinderpest virus antigen in experimentally infected goats

Three goats, experimentally infected with rinderpest virus were examined for the development and distribution of precipitating antigens in various tissues and secretions using the agar gel immunodiffusion test. Virus antigens were detected in ocular secretions and lymph node biopsies from the second to the fourth and fifth days of pyrexia, respectively, but were not detected in nasal secretions. Precipitating antigens were demonstrated in various lymphoid organs, the lung and abomasum of a goat killed on the fourth day of pyrexia. These findings are discussed in relation to the epidemiology of rinderpest in goats in Africa.     

Microneutralisation systems for use with different strains of peste des petits ruminants virus and rinderpest virus

Summary Comparative studies were made to determine the most suitable microtitration system for assaying strains of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) and rinderpest virus (RV). Infectivity titres did not differ significantly when assayed in either calf kidney, sheep kidney or Vero cells. However, cytopathic effects were much easier to detect in the latter making them the cell of choice. Addition of small amounts of virus to preformed cell monolayers in microplates with the subsequent addition of maintenance medium give higher infectivity titres than when cell suspension was added to virus, although the latter is more convenient for routine use. The titres of PPRV and neutralising antibodies assayed in tubes and microplates were not significantly different. Simultaneous screening of sera at a 1 in 20 dilution against both PPRV and RV gave a higher incidence of positives against homologous as opposed to heterologous virus.

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Resumen Se hicieron estudios comparativos para determinar el mejor sistema de microtitulación para detectar cepas del virus de la peste de peque?os rumiantes (VPPR) y virus de rinderpest (VR). Los títulos infectivos, no difirieron significativamente cuando los ensayos se efectuaron en cultivos celulares de ri?ón de ternero, de oveja y células Vero. Sin embargo, los efectos citopáticos se detectaron más facilmente en este último, haciendo de este cultivo celular el preferencial para pruebas de microtitulación. La adición, de peque?as poblaciones virables a monocultivos celulares preformados en microplacas, conjuntamente con medio de mantenimiento, dió títulos infectivos más altos, que cuando la suspensión de células se a?adió al virus, aunque este último método es más conveniente para trabajos de rutina. Los títulos del VPPR, y los anticuerpos neutralizantes, pruebas determinadas en tubo y microplacas, no difirieron significativamente. El análisis simultáneo de suero en diluciones 1 en 20 contra los virus de Pest de Peque?os Rumiantes y Rinderpest, dió una incidencia más alta de positivos contra el suero homólogo, que contra el heterólogo.

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Résumé Des études comparatives ont été effectuées pour déterminer la microméthode la mieux adaptée au titrage des souches des virus de la peste des petits ruminants (VPPR) et de la peste bovine (VPB) Les titres d'infectivité n'étaient pas significantivement différents qu'ils soient dosés sur cellules de rein de veau, de rein de mouton ou sur cellules Vero. Cependant, les effects cytopathogènes étaient plus facile à déceler dans les cellules Vero, ce qui en fait les cellules de choix. L'addition de petites quantités de virus aux tapis cellulaires complets en microplaques puis adjonction ultérieure de milieu d'entretien s'est traduit par des titres d'infectivité plus élevés que lorsque le virus était inoculé aux cellules en suspension, bien que cette dernière méthode soit plus commode pour l'utilisation de routine. Les titres du virus de la PPR et des anticorps neutralisants ne se sont pas révélés significativement différents en tubes ou en microplaques. Les examens simultanés de sérums au 1/20 contre à la fois le virus de la PPR et de la PB se tradusient par une fréquence plus élevée de réactions positives aux virus homologues qu'aux virus hétérologues.

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Research project R3792.     

Attenuation of a strain of rinderpest virus: potential homologous live vaccine

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious disease of small ruminants frequently associated with severe mortality in these hosts. In countries where it occurs, PPR represents an important constraint to the improved productivity of sheep and goats. Until now the only way to combat this plague has been the use of heterologous rinderpest vaccine; all attempts to develop a homologous vaccine have ended in failure. The present communication describes the attenuation of the Nigerian strain PPRV Nig 75/1 by serial passage in Vero cells. The avirulent virus obtained has the same characteristics as Plowright and Ferris' rinderpest vaccine. The virus is advanced as a potential homologous vaccine against PPR.     

The shedding of a virulent Kabete O strain of rinderpest virus by cattle

A Muguga substrain of the virulent Kabete O strain of rinderpest virus was demonstrated in the ocular, nasal, oral and rectal swabs collected from infected cattle. Ocular shedding was detected at the onset of viraemia and before the onset of clinical signs whilst virus shedding in nasal, oral and rectal discharges appeared at the same time as lesions. It is suggested that virus isolation from ocular and nasal swabs should be considered in the diagnosis of rinderpest in addition to the other methods currently employed, as virus was isolated from swabs collected from dead animals.     

Detection of rinderpest virus antigens in vitro and in vivo by direct immunofluorescence

Cell-culture attenuated and virulent strains of rinderpest virus (RV) were inoculated on to bovine kidney cell cultures. A direct immunofluorescent antibody test detected RV antigens in cell cultures within one to three days after inoculation whereas RV cytopathic effects usually took three to nine days to develop. Cells containing RV antigens were also detected in impression smears and frozen sections of tissues collected from RV infected animals at post mortem examination, and in smears of lymph node biopsies taken from cattle with clinical rinderpest. These techniques may offer additional methods for rapid diagnosis of rinderpest.     

Development and stability of rinderpest virus antigens in cattle tears and lymph nodes

Summary Diffusible rinderpest virus antigens were demonstrated in increasing quantities in ocular and lymph node biopsies from rinderpest-infected cattle using agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) and counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) tests. Positive samples were detected from the second day of pyrexia to two days after death. The antigens in ocular secretions and lymph nodes were thermolabile being destroyed within five minutes at 56°C and within two weeks at 4°C.

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Resumen Se demostró un incremento de antígenos difusibles del virus de rinderpest, en biopsias oculares y linfáticas tomadas de ganado inoculado experimentalmente. Las pruebas utilizadas fueron la inmunodifusión en agar gelatina y la contrainmunoelectroforesis. Se detectaron muestras positivas desde el segundo día de pirexia, hasta dos días antes de la muerte. Los antígenos en las secreciones oculares y nódulos linfáticos fueron termolábiles, siendo destruidos a los cinco minutos a 56°C y en dos semanas a 4°C.

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Résumé Les tests d’immuno-diffusion en gélose (IDG) et de contre-immunoélectrophorèse (CIE) ont permis de mettre en évidence des quantités croissantes d’antigènes diffusibles du virus de la peste bovine dans les prélèvements de larmes et de ganglions lymphatiques. Des résultats positifs ont été enregistrés à partir du deuxième jour de la fièvre jusqu’au 2e jour après la mort. Les antigènes des secrétions oculaires et des ganglions lymphatiques sont thermolabiles: destruction en cinq minutes à 56°C et en deux semaines à 4°C.