TY - JOUR
T1 - Persistent bovine pestivirus infection localized in the testes of an immuno-competent, non-viraemic bull
AU - Voges, H.
AU - Horner, G.W.
AU - Rowe, S.
AU - Wellenberg, G.J.
PY - 1998
Y1 - 1998
N2 - A post-pubertal bull on an artificial insemination station was found to be persistently shedding bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) in semen over a period of eleven months, while demonstrating no viraemia. Circulating antibodies to BVDV were consistently high, suggesting that the immune system was challenged repeatedly. Post-mortem findings confirmed that the virus was sequestered in the testes of the bull. It is hypothesized that the BVDV in this immuno-competent bull was protected from the bull's immune response by the blood-testes barrier. The barrier becomes functional only at puberty when tight junctions form between adjacent Sertoli cells, suggesting that this bull became persistently infected with BVDV during puberty.
AB - A post-pubertal bull on an artificial insemination station was found to be persistently shedding bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) in semen over a period of eleven months, while demonstrating no viraemia. Circulating antibodies to BVDV were consistently high, suggesting that the immune system was challenged repeatedly. Post-mortem findings confirmed that the virus was sequestered in the testes of the bull. It is hypothesized that the BVDV in this immuno-competent bull was protected from the bull's immune response by the blood-testes barrier. The barrier becomes functional only at puberty when tight junctions form between adjacent Sertoli cells, suggesting that this bull became persistently infected with BVDV during puberty.
KW - Artificial insemination
KW - Blood testes barrier
KW - Bovine viral diarrhoea virus
KW - Pestivirus
KW - Semen
U2 - 10.1016/S0378-1135(98)00177-1
DO - 10.1016/S0378-1135(98)00177-1
M3 - Article
SN - 0378-1135
VL - 61
SP - 165
EP - 175
JO - Veterinary Microbiology
JF - Veterinary Microbiology
ER -
