Comparison of the pneumopathogenicity of two strains of bovine viral diarrhea virus.

The pneumopathogenicity in calves of 2 strains of bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) virus, isolate 2724 (a noncytopathogenic virus) and isolate 72 (a cytopathogenic virus), was compared. All calves were inoculated endobronchially, using fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Two calves were given Pasteurella haemolytica, 2 calves were given the noncytopathogenic BVD virus, and 2 calves were given cytopathogenic BVD virus. Five calves were inoculated sequentially with BVD virus and, 5 days later, with P haemolytica. Two of these calves were inoculated with the noncytopathogenic BVD virus and the other 3 with the cytopathogenic strain. Both BVD virus strains caused marked respiratory tract disease in the calves sequentially inoculated with P haemolytica and also impaired pulmonary clearance of P haemolytica. However, the effect of the cytopathogenic strain was more severe than the noncytopathogenic strain, indicating that strains of BVD virus may vary in their pneumopathogenicity for calves.