Comparison of virus-neutralizing and virus-specific ELISA antibody responses among bovine neonates differentially primed and boosted against bovine coronavirus.

OBJECTIVE

This study addressed the current gap in knowledge of neonatal prime-boost immune responses for the control of bovine coronavirus (BCoV) respiratory disease in weaning-age beef cattle.

ANIMALS

Study 1 and Study 2 had 33 and 22 commercial cross neonatal beef calves, respectively.

PROCEDURES

Study 1 compared BCoV-neutralizing antibody concentrations of control calves with 3 groups of calves differentially vaccinated with mucosal and/or systemic BCoV modified live virus (MLV) vaccines. Study 2 compared specific and neutralizing antibody concentrations among mucosally BCoV primed groups of calves that were differentially systemically boosted.

RESULTS

In Study 1, calves that were mucosally primed and systemically boosted had higher BCoV-neutralizing antibody concentrations than the control group at weaning. In Study 2, boosting mucosally primed calves by injecting inactivated or MLV vaccine resulted in anamnestic BCoV-specific antibody responses at weaning.

CONCLUSION

Neonatal mucosal priming and systemic boosting resulted in anamnestic BCoV antibody responses at weaning.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Prime-boost vaccination should be considered for control of BCoV respiratory disease.