Semen from boars infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) contains antibodies against structural as well as nonstructural viral proteins

The seminal excretion of antibodies against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) was examined in a group of five boars experimentally infected by the nasopharyngeal route. By using phage-displayed peptide epitopes from the PRRSV replicase and envelope glycoproteins as ELISA antigen, we were able to separately and specifically assay antibody responses against structural and nonstructural viral proteins. Antibodies against structural as well as nonstructural viral proteins were consistently found in the semen of all boars, beginning from 1-4 weeks postinfection. This is the first report documenting the presence of anti-PRRSV antibodies in boar semen. Seminal antiviral IgA was also detected, and we observed a correlation between seminal IgA responses against nonstructural viral proteins, and the duration of PRRSV RNA excretion in semen. The implications of these findings for the diagnostics and pathogenesis of venereal PRRSV infection are discussed.