Houwers D J, König C D, de Boer G F, Schaake J
Vet Microbiol. 1983 Apr;8(2):179-85. doi: 10.1016/0378-1135(83)90064-0.
A field trial to study the practicability and efficacy of maedi-visna control in sheep by artificial rearing of lambs was carried out during the lambing season of 1979. Lambs were immediately separated from the dams at birth, deprived of ovine colostrum, and reared isolated from the parent flock. Bovine colostrum was given instead of maternal colostrum. Eleven farms participated in the experiment. All flocks were severely infected with maedi-visna virus: 63-100% of the ewes were seropositive as demonstrated by ELISA. Artificially reared lambs were serologically tested and positives culled at the age of 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months. Only very few positives were found: 1/389, 1/376, 0/337, 1/223, 1/192 and 0/144, respectively. The first two sero-positive lambs occurred in one flock, and it could be ascertained that both had mistakenly been given ovine colostrum probably containing maedi-visna virus. No explanation, other than sub-optimal hygiene and isolation, could be found for the two sero-positive sheep that turned up in another flock at 24 and 30 months of age although, transplacental infection cannot be entirely excluded. It is concluded that artificial rearing of ovine colostrum-deprived lambs is an effective and practicable method for the control of maedi-visna in sheep. The method appears particularly useful when valuable genetic material has to be salvaged.
1979年产羔季节进行了一项田间试验，以研究通过人工饲养羔羊来控制绵羊梅迪-维斯纳病的可行性和效果。羔羊出生后立即与母羊分离，不给其喂羊初乳，并与亲本羊群隔离饲养。用牛初乳代替母羊初乳。11个农场参与了该试验。所有羊群均严重感染梅迪-维斯纳病毒：ELISA检测显示63%-100%的母羊血清呈阳性。对人工饲养的羔羊进行血清学检测，阳性羔羊在6、12、18、24、30和36月龄时被淘汰。仅发现极少数阳性羔羊：分别为1/389、1/376、0/337、1/223、1/192和0/144。头两只血清阳性羔羊出现在一个羊群中，可以确定这两只羔羊都误喂了可能含有梅迪-维斯纳病毒的羊初乳。对于在另一个羊群中24和30月龄时出现的两只血清阳性羊，除了卫生和隔离措施欠佳外，找不到其他解释，不过不能完全排除经胎盘感染的可能性。结论是，人工饲养不给羊初乳的羔羊是控制绵羊梅迪-维斯纳病的一种有效且可行的方法。当必须挽救有价值的遗传物质时，该方法显得尤为有用。
