Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has rapidly become one of the most economically devastating enteric diseases in the US swine industry. The virus is most severe in neonatal pigs with mortality up to 100%. Thus, induction of strong maternal immunity is critical in reducing the production losses caused by PEDV. Therefore, research on understanding insights of PEDV specific memory B cell responses in the intestines and lymphoid tissues of infected sows, and its association with antibody response in clinical samples (plasma, fecal and oral swabs) is important. We used 36 sows resourced from multiple commercial swineherds in Mid-Eastern part of the US, with the clear history of approximately 1 and 6 months post-exposure to PEDV, and included both primiparous and multiparous and uninfected control age-matched sows. Our results suggested that analysis of PEDV specific IgA antibody response in the plasma and oral fluid is an ideal strategy for diagnosis, and plasma for immune status evaluation until six months post-infection that we tested. But fecal samples from sows are not suitable for diagnosis purpose in infected recovered sows. At the mucosal and systemic sites of pigs, PEDV specific memory B cell response was higher at one month compared to six months post PEDV-infection at both intestines and spleen; and though their levels at six months decline but still their levels and VN titers in plasma appear to be sufficient to respond rapidly to reinfection.
Contact: Renukaradhya J. Gourapura (Aradhya); Associate Professor, Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultrual Research and Deverlopment Center, The Ohio State University, Phone: (330) 263-3748""; Email: [email protected]