COMPARATIVE DETECTION OF CLASSICAL SWINE FEVER VIRUS IN STRIATED-MUSCLE FROM EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED-PIGS BY REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION-POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION, CELL-CULTURE ISOLATION AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a highly contagious viral disease, whic h can be transmitted by CSFV-contaminated swill. In 1993, four CSF out breaks in Switzerland were caused presumably by feeding pigs with impr operly heated swill. The aim of the investigations was to find a suita ble method for CSFV detection in striated muscle samples of infected p igs in order to allow routine testing of meat for virus contamination. The sensitivity of virus detection in striated muscle was compared wi th the detection in target organs. Using reverse transcription polymer ase chain reaction (RT-PCR), cell culture isolation and immunohistoche mistry on samples from 14 experimentally infected pigs, CSFV was detec ted in target organs of ten, and in striated muscle of six pigs, respe ctively. Overall, only 58% of muscle samples from CSFV-positive animal s were positive by RT-PCR and 40% by virus isolation in cell culture, whereas the virus was detected in target organs of these pigs. Virus d etection from striated muscle was primarily successful in severely dis eased animals infected with highly virulent CSFV strains. It is conclu ded that striated muscle is not suitable for sensitive CSFV detection, and additional organs have to be examined for reliable diagnosis. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.