Genetic differences in serum-neutralization titers of pigs after vaccination with pseudorabies modified live-virus vaccine.

Four-week-old pigs of the Chester White, Duroc, Hampshire, Landrace, and Yorkshire breeds (n = 518) were vaccinated with a pseudorabies modified live-virus vaccine to determine whether genetic differences existed for immune response after vaccination. All pigs and their dams (sows) were tested before vaccination to determine preimmunization antibody titers, using a microtitration serum-neutralization (SN) test. The SN test results of sows were negative, as were preimmunization tests of the pigs. At 4 weeks after pigs were vaccinated, additional blood samples were collected from the pigs, and end-point SN titers were determined, using a 2-fold dilution scheme. Small, but statistically significant, breed differences existed for antibody response, with Yorkshire and Chester White pigs having the highest response, and Duroc and Landrace pigs, the lowest. Differences among sire progeny groups were small, but there were significant differences among dams. Genetic differences as seen by differences among breeds indicates that the efficacy of vaccines may vary from breed to breed and that vaccine trials should not neglect this potential source of variation.