Infection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus suppresses the antibody response to classical swine fever virus vaccination

The effects of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection on the antibody response to vaccination with classical swine fever (CSF) vaccine in piglets were investigated. Piglets were inoculated intranasally with the PRRSV BJ-4 strain, and then vaccinated intramuscularly with CSF vaccine 2 days later. Control animals were either vaccinated with CSF vaccine or infected with PRRSV alone. Time course of the antibody response against either PRRSV or CSF vaccine was measured. In animals infected with PRRSV prior to CSF vaccination, the antibody response to CSF vaccine was significantly lower than that observed in animals treated with CSF vaccination alone, especially during 3–5 weeks after vaccination. At the same time, no significant difference in serum PRRSV antibody level was observed between the animals treated with both PRRSV and CSF vaccine and the animals treated with PRRSV alone. These results suggested that the reduced antibody response against CSF vaccine observed in PRRSV-infected animals might be related to the higher prevalence of CSF in PRRSV prevalent farms in China.