Evaluation of shedding of bovine herpesvirus 1, bovine viral diarrhea virus 1, and bovine viral diarrhea virus 2 after vaccination of calves with a multivalent modified-live virus vaccine.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1), bovine viral diarrhea (BVDV) virus 1 (BVDV1), or BVDV 2 (BVDV2) were shed after parenteral administration of a multivalent modified-live virus vaccine.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

ANIMALS

28 healthy beef calves and 4 healthy pregnant beef cows.

PROCEDURE

A commercially available modified-live virus multivalent vaccine was administered to steers and heifers (n = 18) that were seronegative to BHV1, BVDV1, and BVDV2. Four seronegative pregnant control cows were held in contact with the vaccinated calves for 103 days. Unvaccinated calves (n = 10) were held as controls in a separate double-fenced pen. Seroconversion was monitored by determining serum neutralization titers after vaccination. Viral shedding and viremia were assessed via analysis of nasal swab specimens and blood by use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase-PCR assays and virus isolation.

RESULTS

A transient BVDV1 viremia was detected in most vaccinated calves 3 to 10 days after vaccination. All vaccinated calves seroconverted to BVDV1 and BVDV2. Seventeen of 18 vaccinated calves seroconverted to BHV1. Viral shedding was not detected in the vaccinated calves. All control cattle remained seronegative to BHV1, BVDV1, and BVDV2 throughout the study.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Shedding of BHV1, BVDV1, and BVDV2 after vaccination was either nonexistent or undetected and did not result in transmission of BHV1, BVDV1, or BVDV2 vaccine viruses to pregnant contact control cows.