Bovine viral diarrhea virus transmission from persistently infected cattle to non-persistently infected cattle when commingled

an evaluation of serum neutralizing antibody titers

Abstract

Worldwide, bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infects cattle of all ages, resulting in huge economic loss due to ensuing morbidity and death. Persistent infection (Pl) of calves results from in utero infection of a fetus with a non-cytopathic strain of BVDV prior to the development of immunocompetency. A PI calf is infected for life and constantly sheds virus in its mucosal secretions. Exposure of naïve cattle to BVDV results in a transient infection (Tl), in which the virus is cleared within weeks of infection. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of BVDV in cattle following direct exposure to PI cattle.