SEROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF AUJESZKYS-DISEASE - A COMPARISON BETWEEN REACTIONS OF BLOOD-SAMPLES FROM SOWS AND THEIR OFFSPRING

Blood sera from sows and their piglets were compared for their suitabi lity for the serological diagnosis of Aujeszky's disease. Within a few days after parturition, blood and colostrum samples were collected fr om a total of 104 sows from 8 different gI-vaccinated breeding herds. Three piglets of each litter were bled simultaneously with their mothe r and again 3 weeks later. All 416 sera reacted positively in the scre ening for vaccination-induced antibodies. Using the gI ELISA, the sera of 16 sows and their offspring reacted positively, while 86 sows and their piglets reacted negatively and 2 sows and their piglets showed r eactions near the test-cutoff. By testing piglets from another 1,300 s ows in 37 farms, the practicability of the proposed method was proved. Blood samples were taken at intervals of 4 to 6 weeks from piglets of all sows, which had farrowed in the meantime. Within a six to nine mo nths period, the serological status of a breeding herd could be establ ished.