Premium
Bluetongue virus serotype 20 infection in pregnant Merino sheep
Author(s) -
FLANAGAN M.,
WILSON A. J.,
TRUEMAN K. F.,
SHEPHERD M. A.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1982.tb02704.x
Subject(s) - biology , transplacental , inoculation , serotype , virus , antibody , virology , abortion , veterinary medicine , gestation , pregnancy , zoology , fetus , medicine , immunology , placenta , genetics
SUMMARY Eleven maiden Merino ewes, free of antibody to bluetongue virus serotype 20 (BTV‐20) in agar gel immunodiffusion and serum neutralisation tests, were mated once with a ram. Ten ewes were inoculated with BTV‐20 35 to 42 days after service, and one ewe was left as an uninoculated control. One of the inoculated ewes and the control ewe remained uninfected throughout the experiment. Eight of the remaining 9 ewes showed clinical signs ranging from mild to moderate, and the other showed no clinical signs of infection. BTV‐20 viraemia was detected in ewes between days 3 and 11 post inoculation, and the serum antibody response was followed. The control ewe and 5 of the 9 infected ewes were pregnant when examined 90 to 97 days after service. Each of these animals produced a normal lamb. There was no evidence of abortion in the remaining 5 ewes, and no transplacental transfer of virus was detected in the lambs of the 5 infected ewes. At necropsy, 46 days after the birth of the last lamb, no gross or microscopic lesions were observed in either the ewes or lambs.