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Abstract: Safety and quality are important issues for vaccines. Whereas reversion to virulence poses a safety risk with live attenuated vaccines, the potential for the presence of adventitious agents is also an issue of vaccine quality. The recent detection or porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV1) in human vaccines has further highlighted the importance of quality control in vaccine production. The purpose of this study was to use a novel conventional PCR to detect PCV1, and subsequently screen materials used in the manufacture of vaccines at Bharat Biotech International Limited, India. The genome or gene fragments of PCV1 were not detected in any of the vaccines and materials tested, including the live attenuated rotavirus vaccine candidate ROTAVAC®. Further, the identity of the cells and the viruses used as starting materials in the manufacture of these vaccines was confirmed by species-specific PCR or virus-specific RT-PCR, and no cross-contamination was detected in any case. The methods can be applied for regular in-house quality control screening of raw materials and seeds/banks, as well as formulated vaccines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Serology is used commonly to monitor PRRSV negative farms. [•] Commercial ELISA assays are used currently for detection of PRRSV antibodies. [•] An experimental fluorescent microbead-based immunoassay (FMIA) was modified. [•] The modified FMIA and commercial ELISAs were compared. [•] The highest sensitivity and specificity was seen with a commercial ELISA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in pigs is common and of zoonotic concern. [•] ELISA assays are currently used for detection of swine anti-HEV antibodies. [•] A fluorescent microbead-based immunoassay (FMIA) for swine HEV was developed. [•] The FMIA result was comparable to that of an ELISA. [•] FMIA has the advantage of multiplexing antigens against different pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Infection with the Torque teno sus virus (TTSuV) is believed to be common yet limited information is available on the epidemiology of TTSuV. The objectives of this study were to develop novel and improve existing diagnostic methods for TTSuV infection and to investigate the prevalence of TTSuV species 1 (TTSuV1) and 2 (TTSuV2) in the USA. Three hundred and four blood or fetal thoracic fluid samples were collected from pigs on 40 US farms in 12 States. Samples were collected from fetuses and in pre-suckle neonates (n =73), suckling pigs (1–20 days of age; n =27), nursery pigs (21–55 days of age; n =60), finisher pigs (8–25 weeks of age; n =90) and adults (>25 weeks of age; n =54). Samples were tested by a new quantitative differential real-time PCR for TTSuV1 and TTSuV2 DNA and by ELISA for detection of anti-TTSuV2-antibodies. The prevalence of TTSuV1 DNA ranged from 8.2% (fetuses and neonates) to 81% (finisher pigs) and the prevalence of TTSuV2 DNA ranged from 3.7% (suckling pigs) to 67% (finisher pigs). Evidence of fetal TTSuV infection was minimal. Mixed infection of TTSuV1 and TTSuV2 was seen in 6.7% of the nursery pigs, 52.2% of the finisher pigs, and 22.2% of the mature pigs. The prevalence of TTSuV1 was higher than that of TTSuV2. Anti-TTSuV2 antibodies were not detected in the fetuses and neonates and the seroprevalence of TTSuV2 was between 3.8% and 100% in growing pigs. The results of this study indicate that vertical transmission may not be a main route of TTSuV transmission in pigs in the USA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]