Persistent bovine pestivirus infection localized in the testes of an immuno-competent, non-viraemic bull

A post-pubertal bull on an artificial insemination station was found to be persistently shedding bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) in semen over a period of eleven months, while demonstrating no viraemia. Circulating antibodies to BVDV were consistently high, suggesting that the immune system was...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Veterinary microbiology 1998-03, Vol.61 (3), p.165-175
Main Authors: Voges, H, Horner, G.W, Rowe, S, Wellenberg, G.J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal viral diseases
Animals
Antibodies, Viral - blood
Artificial insemination
Biological and medical sciences
Blood testes barrier
Bovine viral diarrhoea virus
Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease - complications
Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease - physiopathology
Cattle
Cattle Diseases
Fertility
ID Lelystad, Institute for Animal Science and Health
ID-Lelystad, Instituut voor Dierhouderij en Diergezondheid
Infectious diseases
Male
Medical sciences
Pestivirus
Pestivirus - isolation & purification
Semen
Semen - virology
Sexual Behavior, Animal
Testicular Diseases - physiopathology
Testicular Diseases - veterinary
Testicular Diseases - virology
Viral diseases
Virus Shedding
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Summary:A post-pubertal bull on an artificial insemination station was found to be persistently shedding bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) in semen over a period of eleven months, while demonstrating no viraemia. Circulating antibodies to BVDV were consistently high, suggesting that the immune system was challenged repeatedly. Post-mortem findings confirmed that the virus was sequestered in the testes of the bull. It is hypothesized that the BVDV in this immuno-competent bull was protected from the bull's immune response by the blood-testes barrier. The barrier becomes functional only at puberty when tight junctions form between adjacent Sertoli cells, suggesting that this bull became persistently infected with BVDV during puberty.
ISSN:0378-1135
1873-2542
DOI:10.1016/S0378-1135(98)00177-1