Immunogenicity of a soluble antigen against Pasteurella haemolytica-associated pneumonia in calves

Three experiments were performed to evaluate the immunogenic potency of a soluble fraction of Pasteurella haemolytica against pneumonic pasteurellosis in calves. A soluble antigen was extracted by a 2.5% saline solution from P. haemolytica. Weaned Holstein bull calves, seronegative for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus ( IBRV ) and the pasteurella antigen, were vaccinated either by repeated subcutaneous (SC) vaccination, or by exposure 3 times to the aerosol of P. haemolytica antigen. Challenge exposure to aerosol of P. haemolytica was preceded by infection with IBRV , or in experiments 2 and 3, the virus exposures were combined with a stress treatment. The lung lesions were examined at necropsy 3 to 8 days post infection. In the first experiment, all the vaccinated calves produced specific antibody response to the pasteurella antigen, and none of the calves including controls showed significant lesions in the lung. In the second experiment 2 aerogenically vaccinated calves had no lesions. One of the two SC-vaccinated calves had mild consolidated lesions. Two control calves, one of which died 3 days following the challenge, developed severe fibrinous pneumonia with consolidation of 50% or more of the lung surfaces. P. haemolytica was isolated only from the 2 control animals. In the third experiment, 2 of the 3 control calves developed moderate to severe consolidation, but P. haemolytica was isolated only from one of them. Two of the three aerosol-vaccinated calves also developed significant lesions and one of them yielded the bacteria from the lung. Three SC-vaccinated calves had slight lesions and the organism was not isolated from their lungs. The results did not consistently indicate an immunogenic potential of the soluble antigen against P. haemolytica-related pneumonia. The effect of stress on the pathogenesis of bovine viral pneumonia and correlation between pneumonic lesions and antibacterial resistance in situ are discussed.     

Effect of viral dose on experimental pneumonia caused by aerosol exposure of calves to bovine herpesvirus 1 and Pasteurella haemolytica.

The effect of various aerosol doses of bovine herpesvirus 1, followed four days later by aerosol exposure to a constant level of Pasteurella haemolytica, was studied in 16 crossbred Hereford range calves. A Collision nebulizer was used to generate aerosols from virus suspensions with concentrations of 10(8.2) (high), 10(5.2) (moderate) or 10(2.2) (low) TCID50/mL. The bacterial suspension contained 10(7) colony forming units/mL. Control calves exposed only to P. haemolytica developed no pulmonary lesions. Calves in the low, moderate and high virus exposure groups developed lobular areas of atelectasis; in addition, one calf in the moderate and all four in the high virus exposure group developed fibrinous pneumonia. One of the latter calves died. The 50% effective dose for fibrinous pneumonia under these experimental conditions was 10(6.0) TCID50 bovine herpesvirus 1/mL of suspension in the nebulizer reservoir, and approximately 10(4.0) infectious units inhaled per calf.     

Disease in a dairy herd associated with the introduction and spread of bovine virus diarrhoea virus

In January 1982 an outbreak of diarrhoea among adult dairy cows in a closed herd of approximately 200 milking animals was shown to be caused by the introduction of bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV). Affected animals showed a significant reduction in milk yield. One animal died and four were culled. Eight cows aborted and one weak calf was born. Of 121 calves born that year, 26 died, mostly from pneumonia, but five aged from three weeks to five months had enteric lesions of mucosal disease. Subsequent investigations of the whole herd in 1983 and 1984 showed that virus spread among the adults was slow and that BVDV continued to make a major contribution to calf losses. Again the greatest cause of loss was suppurative or fibrinous pneumonia. Overall, BVDV was isolated from 36 animals. Isolation of virus from a wide range of tissues of individual animals confirmed that they were viraemic at death. Viruses from calves dying of pneumonia and from aborted fetuses were non-cytopathic in tissue culture. Isolates showing varying degrees of cytopathogenicity were obtained only from tissues of one calf with a congenital neurological defect and the seven animals with enteric lesions consistent with a diagnosis of mucosal disease. Blood from all 89 BVDV antibody-free animals older than three months was tested for the presence of BVDV. Altogether, 12 calves were identified as persistently viraemic and all were apparently healthy when bled. Only two matured normally, four grew poorly and six died.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Mycoplasma agalactiae subsp. bovis in pneumonia and arthritis of the bovine.

The pneumonic lungs of 42 cattle from 26 feedlots were examined for the presence of mycoplasma, pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Four animals representative of two lots failed to yield mycoplasma. One of these yielded the virus of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and Pasteurella hemolytica, the other yielded only P. P. multocida. Nine animals in eight lots yielded Mycoplasma sp.: five of these were M. bovirhinis, two were M. arginini and two were untypable. All of these animals yielded one or more of P. hemolytica, P. multiocida, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus or bovine virus diarrhea virus. Twenty-five of 29 animals in 16 lots yieled M. agalactiae subsp. bovis from lung tissues. The same organism was recovered from the arthritic joints of 12 of these animals. Eight of the 25 animals yielded no other pathogen and all of these had not received any treatment. Nine of the 25 M. agalactiae subsp. bovis positive animals also yielded one or more of P. hemolytica, P. multocida, Corynebacterium pyogenes or infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus. Bacteriological and virological studies were not completed for the remaining eight of the 25 positive animals. In five lots of cattle which had not received medication for pneumonia and for arthritis only M. agalactiae subsp. bovis was recovered. Twenty-five grossly normal lungs obtained from normal cattle at the time of slaughter were cultured and all were negative. The possible role of M. agalactiae subsp. bovis in pneumonia and arthritis was discussed.     

Pneumonia in Calves Produced with Aerosols of Bovine Herpesvirus 1 and Pasteurella haemolytica

In each of 11 experiments, four calves were exposed first to an aerosol of bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1, virus of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis) and second to an aerosol of Pasteurella haemolytica. The interval between aerosols was three to five days. In two other experiments, calves were exposed only to a bacterial aerosol. Climate was controlled for all experiments from the day of viral exposure and for eight of the experiments it was also controlled for four to six days before the first aerosol. The concentration of infectious doses of virus in the aerosols and the number of bacteria in the aerosols of each calf were determined. Macroscopically recognizable rhinitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, tracheitis and pneumonia of lobar distribution in 42 lobes from 11 calves were seen in five experiments in which bacterial aerosol followed the viral aerosol by at least four days. One calf died with marked respiratory disease in each of four experiments within four days of exposure to the bacterial aerosol. Production of pneumonia was dependent on an interval between aerosols of at least four days but not on the condition of controlled climate on the environmental chamber either before or after the viral aerosol nor on the period of habituation allowed calves of some experiments.     

Immunogenicity of a soluble antigen againstPasteurella haemolytica-associated pneumonia in calves

Three experiments were performed to evaluate the immunogenic potency of a soluble fraction ofPasteurella haemolytica against pneumonic pasteurellosis in calves. A soluble antigen was extracted by a 2.5% saline solution fromP.haemolytica. Weaned Holstein bull calves, seronegative for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV) and the pasteurella antigen, were vaccinated either by repeated subcutaneous (SC) vaccination, or by exposure 3 times to the aerosol ofP.haemolytica antigen. Challenge exposure to aerosol ofP.haemolytica was preceded by infection with IBRV, or in experiments 2 and 3, the virus exposures were combined with a stress treatment. The lung lesions were examined at necropsy 3 to 8 days post infection. In the first experiment, all the vaccinated calves produced specific antibody response to the pasteurella antigen, and none of the calves including controls showed significant lesions in the lung. In the second experiment 2 aerogenically vaccinated calves had no lesions. One of the two SC-vaccinated calves had mild consolidated lesions. Two control calves, one of which died 3 days following the challenge, developed severe fibrinous pneumonia with consolidation of 50% or more of the lung surfaces.P.haemolytica was isolated only from the 2 control animals. In the third experiment, 2 of the 3 control calves developed moderate to severe consolidation, butP.haemolytica was isolated only from one of them. Two of the three aerosol-vaccinated calves also developed significant lesions and one of them yielded the bacteria from the lung. Three SC-vaccinated calves had slight lesions and the organism was not isolated from their lungs. The results did not consistently indicate an immunogenic potential of the soluble antigen againstP.haemolytica-related pneumonia. The effect of stress on the pathogenesis of bovine viral penumonia and correlation between pneumonic lesions and antibacterial resistancein situ are discussed.     

Evaluation of inactivated infectious bovine rhinotracheitis vaccines.

Sixty-five calves of approximately three months of age and of mixed sex were vaccinated twice at four week intervals with either attenuated or inactivated infectious bovine rhinotracheitis vaccines. Following initial vaccination there was no demonstrable serum infectious bovine rhinotracheitis titer in any of the calves receiving the inactivated vaccine with 20.7% of the calves receiving the attenuated vaccines having demonstrable titers. Following a second administration of vaccine at eight weeks post-initial vaccination 63.9% of the calves receiving the inactivated vaccine had no demonstrable titer with 72.4% of the calves receiving the attenuated vaccine exhibiting a blood titer of four or greater.     

Interferon, Antibody Responses and Protection Induced by an Intranasal Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis Vaccine

The interferon and antibody response induced by an intranasal infectious bovine rhinotracheitis vaccine was followed in 22 calves over a nine month period and the ability of these vaccinated calves to withstand challenge with virulent infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus was assessed.Interferon was detected two to three days post-vaccination and disappeared by the tenth day. Nasal and serum antibodies appeared by day 7 and persisted for nine months.The calves challenged three days postvaccination came down with disease typical of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, whereas calves challenged three weeks, three months or nine months postvaccination resisted infection.     

Effect of human leukocyte A interferon on prevention of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus infection of cattle

Human leukocyte A interferon was evaluated for its ability to prevent infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus-induced respiratory tract disease in cattle. Weanling calves were treated daily for 1 week with 50 X 10(6) U of interferon, intranasally (by nebulization) and IM, and inoculated with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus on the first day of treatment. Respiratory tract disease was less severe in treated as compared with nontreated calves which were given only infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, and infection in the treated calves occurred later than in the untreated calves. Viral shedding and appearance of viral neutralizing antibodies occurred later in treated calves than in calves given only virus. Because several calves in a treatment group were housed together, whether the late appearance of infection in some interferon-treated calves was due to emergence of suppressed virus or to horizontal transmission from calves shedding virus could not be determined. One calf in the interferon-treated group developed antibody to human interferon and a few treated calves had transient elevation of hepatic enzymes. Interferon-treated calves developed a high temperature which subsided on termination of treatment. Production of disease was considerably dependent on the amount of virus and interferon given, since calves given 300 times more virus and approximately half as much interferon showed no evidence of protection against infection.     

Enhancement of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis by modified-live infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus vaccine

The effects of a modified-live infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus vaccine (administered ocularly or intranasally) on experimentally induced infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis were evaluated. The modified-live infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus vaccine was administered to 13 male Holstein calves (intranasally in 4 and ocularly in 9; day 0). Five calves were not vaccinated and served as controls. Calves were examined daily and, starting on day 4, Moraxella bovis was administered ocularly to all 18 calves once daily for 4 days. The eyes of all calves were assigned a clinical score, and the ocular secretions were evaluated for presence of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus and M bovis daily until day 19. The severity of the ocular lesions was estimated by scoring the lesions clinically and by determining the protein concentration, myeloperoxidase activity, and WBC count in the tears. By day 5, conjunctivitis, chemosis, and epiphora were observed in all of the calves vaccinated ocularly. The calves vaccinated intranasally developed conjunctival plaques, but did not develop chemosis or photophobia. All of the calves developed keratitis after inoculation with M bovis. The median lesion scores were greater in both groups of vaccinated calves than in the controls. Corneal perforations developed exclusively in the vaccinated calves. The frequency of M bovis isolation from ocular secretions was significantly (P less than 0.05) greater in the vaccinated calves than in the controls. The tears from the intranasally vaccinated calves contained the highest myeloperoxidase activity and WBC count. The mean protein concentration in the tears of vaccinated calves was not significantly different from that in tears of controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The association between serological titers in infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, bovine virus diarrhea virus, parainfluenza-3 virus, respiratory syncytial virus and treatment for respiratory disease in Ontario feedlot calves.

A seroepidemiological study of the association between antibody titers to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, parainfluenza-3, bovine virus diarrhea and bovine respiratory syncytial viruses, and treatment for bovine respiratory disease was conducted. A total of 322 calves from five different groups were bled on arrival, then one month later all cases (cattle treated for bovine respiratory disease) were rebled together with an equal number of controls (cattle not treated for any disease). Titers to these viruses varied significantly from group to group. Based on seroconversion, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus was active in 4.4%, bovine virus diarrhea virus in 24%, parainfluenza-3 virus in 69.5% and bovine respiratory syncytial virus in 71.3% of the cattle. Cattle with low titers to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and/or bovine respiratory syncytial viruses on arrival, were at increased risk of subsequent treatment for bovine respiratory disease. Treated cattle also had significantly greater increases to parainfluenza-3 and/or bovine virus diarrhea viruses than control calves. Treatment rates varied considerably from group to group and were not strongly correlated with weight gain in the postarrival period.     

An outbreak of acute pneumonia in young, single-suckled calves.

An outbreak of acute severe pneumonia which affected six to 14-week-old single-suckled calves, resulted in 45/77 requiring treatment. The examination of paired sera from all affected calves revealed that neither an adenovirus, non infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus nor parainfluenza 3 virus was involved. The acute exudative interstitial pneumonia found at post mortem was typical of pneumonic pasteurellosis.     

Prevalence of antibodies to seven viruses in a flock of ewes in Minnesota

Blood samples were collected from a flock of healthy ewes at a University of Minnesota research station. Sera from these blood samples were tested for antibodies against 7 viruses, using 3 tests (eg, virus-neutralization test for bovine viral diarrhea virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, bovine adenovirus type 3, and bovine respiratory syncytial virus; hemagglutination inhibition test for parainfluenza virus type 3; and agar-gel immunodiffusion test for lentivirus of ovine progressive interstitial pneumonia and bluetongue virus). The number of seropositive ewes for each antibody type were 1 of 377 (0.3%) for bovine viral diarrhea virus, 2 of 377 (0.5%) for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, 29 of 378 (7.6%) for bovine adenovirus type 3, 200 of 378 (52.5%) for bovine respiratory syncytial virus, 273 of 373 (71.7%) for parainfluenza virus type 3, and 210 of 379 (55%) for ovine progressive pneumonia virus. All ewes were seronegative for bluetongue virus antibodies.     

Epidemiological study of enzootic pneumonia in dairy calves in Saskatchewan.

A field study involving 325 calves from 17 dairy herds in Saskatchewan was conducted to determine the risk of enzootic pneumonia and to assess its association with a number of factors. Two different case definitions of pneumonia were used in the analyses: the first was based on producers' treatment risk (CASE1) and the second was based on semimonthly clinical examinations of calves by the research veterinarian (CASE2). The risk of pneumonia based on CASE1 was 39% and on CASE2 was 29%. The measure of agreement between CASE1 and CASE2 at the calf level of analysis was poor (kappa = 0.24, SE = 0.02) and at the herd level of analysis was moderate (kappa = 0.40, SE = 0.12). The mortality risk from pneumonia was 1.8% and a variety of infectious organisms were isolated from pneumonic lungs. Twenty-seven percent of the calves had inadequate (total IgG < or = 800 mg/dL) levels of passively acquired antibodies as measured by radial immunodiffusion. The proportion of seropositive titers in calves within the first two weeks of age was 94% to parainfluenza 3 virus (PI3V) and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), 73% to Pasteurella haemolytica (Ph), 68% to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), 67% to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV), 46% to Mycoplasma dispar (Md), 44% to Haemophilus somnus (Hs), and 21% to Mycoplasma bovis (Mb). At the calf level of analysis and after adjusting for clustering, there was a negative association (p = 0.10) between the diagnosis of pneumonia based on CASE2 and total IgG levels and Ph titers (rPh).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Nitrogen metabolism of calves inoculated with bovine adenovirus-3 or with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus

Beef calves were inoculated with bovine adenovirus-3 or infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus. After inoculation, plasma fibrinogen increased, serum phosphorus decreased, and nitrogen and phosphorus digestibility decreased compared with preinoculation values. Urinary N excretion increased when calves developed rectal temperatures greater than 39.7 C. Results indicated that clinical infection of calves with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus increases urinary N excretion and reduces N and phosphorus balance, and that clinical and subclinical infections with either virus reduce dietary N digestibility.     

The vaccination and challenge with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) of calves previously infected with a non-cytopathic BVDV.

Four calves were infected with noncytopathic (NCP) New York-1 strain of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). During the observation period of one month the calves remained clinically normal but the virus was repeatedly recovered from their pharyngeal swabbings and blood. Thirty days following infection the four calves were vaccinated, together with two uninfected calves, with a modified-live vaccine containing cytopathic (CP) BVDV, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus and parainfluenza-3 virus. No detrimental effects were observed after vaccination. Forty-three days after vaccination the calves were challenged by exposure either with the CP TVM-2 strain or the NCP New York-1 strain of BVDV. The vaccinated calves remained healthy throughout the 60-day observation period.     

Study on the etiologic role of bovine respiratory syncytial virus in pneumonia of dairy calves

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) was the viral agent most commonly identified in 14 epizootics of pneumonia in dairy calves. A microtiter serum-virus neutralization test proved to be the best means of identifying involvement of BRSV; seroconversion (fourfold or greater rise in titer) was demonstrated in 10 of the 14 epizootics. Only limited involvement of bovine viral diarrhea virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, parainfluenza 3 virus, and bovine adenovirus type 3 was recognized. Pasteurella multocida was isolated in 12 of 14 epizootics, and Pasteurella haemolytica in 4 of 14 epizootics. Mycoplasmal and ureaplasmal agents were isolated in all 14 epizootics.     

Effects of hypervaccination with bovine herpesvirus type 1 gE-deleted marker vaccines on the serological response and virological status of calves challenged with wild-type virus

Twenty-four calves were immunised four times with gE-deleted infectious bovine rhinotracheitis marker vaccines before being challenged with small doses of wild-type bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1). The repeated vaccinations induced strong immunity that prevented detectable virus replication and gE-seroconversion after the challenge infection in most of the calves. The hypervaccinated calves that shed virus after the challenge infection showed no delay in gE-seroconversion compared with unvaccinated control calves. Using a sensitive nested PCR, BHV-1 gE sequences could be detected in the trigeminal ganglia of several of the gE-seronegative, challenge-infected calves, possibly indicating the presence of wild-type BHV-1 DNA.     

A bovine respiratory virus vaccination trial

A respiratory virus vaccination trial was carried out in a commercial calf-rearing unit with a history of virus pneumonia. The effects of vaccination on the incidence of virus respiratory disease and growth rate were assessed. Forty-four bought-in calves were allocated to groups and treated as follows: A, unvaccinated controls; B, intranasal temperature-sensitive infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) vaccine at three and 10 weeks; C, intranasal temperature-sensitive combined IBR and parainfluenza-3 (PI3) vaccine at three and 10 weeks; D, intranasal temperature-sensitive combined IBR and PI3 vaccine at three and 10 weeks plus live attenuated bovine respiratory syncytial (BRS) virus vaccine intramuscularly at seven, 10 and 16 weeks. Two outbreaks of virus pneumonia occurred, one at three to four months of age associated with BRS virus and the other at four to five months of age with PI3 virus. During these outbreaks the incidence of pneumonia was lower and the number of days of elevated temperature and the number of treatments were significantly less in groups vaccinated against the associated virus. Despite these findings there were no significant differences between the growth rates of the groups either during the outbreaks of virus pneumonia or during the 10 month period to slaughter.     

Comparative serological response in calves to eight commercial vaccines against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, parainfluenza-3, bovine respiratory syncytial, and bovine viral diarrhea viruses

A field trial was conducted to compare the serological responses in calves to eight commercial vaccines against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV), parainfluenza-3 virus (PI3V), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), and/or bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). Calves given IBRV, P13V, BRSV, and BVDV vaccines had significantly higher antibodies to these viruses than unvaccinated controls; however, serological responses to killed BVDV vaccines were low. Calves with preexisting antibodies to IBRV, PI3V, BRSV, and the Singer strain of BVDV had lower seroconversion rates following vaccination than calves that were seronegative initially.

Serological responses in calves to IBRV, PI3V, BRSV, and BVDV differed among various commercial vaccines. Antibody titers to IBRV were higher in calves vaccinated with modified-live IBRV vaccines than in those vaccinated with killed IBRV vaccines. Following double vaccination with modified-live IBRV and PI3V vaccines, seroconversion rates and antibody titers to IBRV and PI3V were higher in calves vaccinated intramuscularly than in those vaccinated intranasally. Calves given Cattlemaster 4 had significantly higher titers to BRSV and PI3V, and lower titers to BVDV, than calves given Cattlemaster 3, suggesting that the addition of BRSV to Cattlemaster 4 caused some interaction among antigens.