Genetic Changes in Pseudorabies Virus After Passage in Captured, Wild Mus Musclulus Domesticus

Pseudorabies virus (PrV) is an alphaherpes virus that is the cause of one of the most devastating infectious diseases to domestic and international pork industries. Major efforts in the U.S. therefore concentrated in combating PrV through a costly eradication campaign. Though the PrV eradication effort is nearly with major areas of the U.S. declared PrV-free, concerns of PrV spill-over into wildlife have been affirmed by PrV positive feral animals. Not addressing the problem of wildlife as carriers of PrV can be a problem in the eradication program. Virus carried by wild animals that migrate between farms are likely vectors for transmission of new, virulent strains. The spread of new, virulent strains to domestic pig herds that are undetectable by diagnostic methods would also be a major factor in the re-emergence of this virus. It is feared that re-emergence of PrV in the United States could jeopardize the country's position as the largest pork exporter in the world. One feral host that is a potential candidate as a PrV vector is the common house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus, a rodent commonly found around swine farms. Its prevalence around swine farms makes it a possible host for PrV spillover into wildlife, yet little is understood about the importance of this host in PrV epidemiology and its possible impact on the eradication effort. This study was therefore conducted to assess issues related to PrV infection in Mus. Recent sampling of wildlife around PrV positive swine farms confirmed the presence of PrV positive Mus indicating that this host could survive infection and harbor virus. This prompted studies to determine if Mus could be vaccinated with a genetically modified strain, and if the vaccine could be shed from these mice after challenge with a more virulent strain. Further, dosage conditions that promoted viral recombination in this host and characterization of these recombinants were also ascertained. Finally, genetic and phenotypic changes of PrV passaged 14 times in wild Mus were assessed. These results were discussed in the context of PrV adaptation in this host, and the possible role of Mus in PrV epidemiology and re-emergence.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Veterinary Clinical Medicine

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Hsu, Christopher H.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Hahn, Edwin C.

• Agriculture, Animal Pathology

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3182281

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/87129