The determination of serologic titers to infectious organisms is a valuable tool for quantitating exposure to disease organisms. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) were live-trapped from September 1989 to October 1993 and samples collected from two distinct locations in west-central Illinois (USA); a state recreational facility (Park) and privately owned farming property (Farm). Sera were submitted for t...

Our investigation was conducted in order to verify a recent severe epidemic at several swine farms in northern China that indicated a newly emerging disease. Evidence confirmed that the epidemic was caused by a virulent Pseudorabies virus infection in swine herds.

The potentiation of the antiviral activity of acyclovir [9-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]guanine] by polyene macrolide antibiotics has been studied as a function of the macrolide structure. The 12 polyenes chosen for this study represented the major structural groups of these antibiotics and induced in mammalian cells repairable membrane alterations or irreversible cell damage. The potentiating acti...

Background: To further minimize transmission risk of blood-borne viral and prion diseases, manufacturers of therapeutic animalor human-derived proteins have implemented improved in-process pathogen-removal procedures. Objectives: To evaluate removal of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents (prions) and viruses using Omega 100K VR membrane filtration system (Pall Filtron, Northborough, ...

In Japan, most pig populations are now free from pseudorabies virus (PRV) due to the recent success of an extensive eradication program. However, PRV infection persists in Japanese wild boars (Sus scrofa leucomystax), representing another potential reservoir for the virus in Japan. In this study, the seroprevalence of PRV in wild boars captured in three different prefectures was ascertained. A ...

Outbreaks of pseudorabies (PR) have occurred in southern China since late 2011, resulting in significant economic impacts on the swine industry. To identify the cause of PR outbreaks, especially among vaccinated pigs, 11 pseudorabies virus (PRV) field strains were isolated from Guangdong province during 2013-2014. Their major viral genes (gE, TK, gI, PK, gD, 11K, and 28K) were analyzed in this ...

In this study we identified two 3'-coterminal RNA molecules in the pseudorabies virus. The highly abundant short transcript (CTO-S) proved to be encoded between the ul21 and ul22 genes in close vicinity of the replication origin (OriL) of the virus. The less abundant long RNA molecule (CTO-L) is a transcriptional readthrough product of the ul21 gene and overlaps OriL. These polyadenylated RNAs ...