Semen from boars infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) contains antibodies against structural as well as nonstructural viral proteins

The seminal excretion of antibodies against porcine reproductive and respir atory syndrome virus (PRRSV) was examined in a group of five boars experime ntally infected by the nasopharyngeal route. By using phage-displayed pepti de epitopes from the PRRSV replicase and envelope glycoproteins as ELISA an tigen, we were able to separately and specifically assay antibody responses against structural and nonstructural viral proteins. Antibodies against st ructural as well as nonstructural viral proteins were consistently found in the semen of all boars, beginning from 1-4 weeks postinfection. This is th e first report documenting the presence of anti-PRRSV antibodies in boar se men, Seminal antiviral IgA was also detected, and we observed a correlation between seminal IgA responses against nonstructural viral proteins, and th e duration of PRRSV RNA excretion in semen. The implications of these findi ngs for the diagnostics and pathogenesis of venereal PRRSV infection are di scussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.