A pseudorabies virus mutant with deletions in the latency and early protein O genes: replication, virulence, and immunity in neonatal piglets

Virology Swine Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, USDA, Ames, IA 50010, USA.

The pathogenicity of a double mutant of pseudorabies virus (PRV) with deletions in the latency gene and the early protein O gene was examined. In comparison to the parent Indiana-Funkhauser virus, the ability of this mutant to replicate and to cause disease in piglets is greatly reduced. At an infection dose that caused no clinical signs in 5-day-old neonatal piglets, this mutant was capable of eliciting solid protective immunity against a lethal PRV challenge. Thus, the double-gene deletion attenuates PRV but does not affect its immunogenicity. These features may be desirable for inclusion into future PRV vaccines.