Detection of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) antibodies in oral fluid specimens using a commercial PRRSV serum antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of a commercial serum antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) modified to detect anti-Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) antibodies in pen-based oral fluid specimens. Experimental and field oral fluid samples of defined status in reference to exposure of swine with PRRSV were used to derive the kinetics of detectable concentrations of antibody against PRRSV. Immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgA were readily detected in oral fluid specimens from populations in which PRRSV infection was synchronized among all individuals but not in samples collected in commecial herds. In contrast, IgG was readily detected at diagnostically useful levels in both experimental and field samples for up to 126 days. Estimates of the IgG oral fluid ELISA performance were based on results from testing positive oral fluid samples (n = 492) from experimentally inoculated pigs (n = 251) and field samples (n = 241) and negative oral fluid samples (n = 367) from experimentally inoculated pigs (n = 84) and field samples (n = 283). Receiver operating characteristic analysis estimated the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the assay as 94.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 92.4, 96.5) and 100% (95% CI: 99.0, 100.0), respectively, at a sample-to-positive ratio cutoff of ≥0.40. The results of the study suggest that the IgG oral fluid ELISA can provide efficient, cost-effective PRRSV monitoring in commercial herds and PRRSV surveillance in elimination programs.