EXPERIMENTAL-INFECTION OF DEER WITH BOVINE VIRAL DIARRHEA VIRUS

In order to determine the susceptibility of deer to infection with bov ine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), four mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) fawns and one white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) fawn were inoculated intranasally with the New York-1 strain of BVDV originally isolated fr om cattle. None of the animals developed clinical signs of illness. Vi rus was isolated from white blood cells from four fawns on one or more occasions from day 2 through day 15 postinoculation (PI) indicating t hat infection and systemic spread of BVDV had occurred. In addition, v irus was isolated from nasal swabs from three fawns, one to three time s, from day 2 through day 8 PI. Four fawns had virus neutralizing anti body titers to two strains of BVDV prior to inoculation and all develo ped greater than four-fold increases in virus neutralizing antibody ti ters by 3 wk PI. No gross lesions of bovine viral diarrhea were detect ed at necropsy approximately 3 mo PI. A variety of nonspecific lesions were detected by histopathology. Based on these findings, mule and wh ite-tailed deer are susceptible to infection with BVDV. Isolation of v irus from nasal swabs is evidence that BVDV could be transmitted by de er via direct contact.