Comparison of the antigen distribution of two US porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus isolates with that of the lelystad virus

One hundred 4-week-old cesarean-derived colostrum-deprived pigs were inoculated with one of two different US porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) isolates (VR2385, VR2431) or the European Lelystad virus to detect and compare the location and amount of virus antigen. Interstitial pneumonia, myocarditis, lymphadenopathy, and encephalitis were consistently seen in all three groups; however, disease and lesions were more severe in the VR2385 group. Immunohistochemical evaluation of formalin-fixed tissues revealed virus antigen in alveolar macrophages in lungs of 22/25, 14/25, 14/25, and 0/25 of the VR2385, VR2431, Lelystad, and control pigs, respectively. Follicular macrophages and dendritic cells in the lymph nodes of 14/25, 10/25, 10/25, and 0/25 pigs from the VR2385, VR2431, Lelystad, and control groups, respectively, stained positive for virus antigen. Similar cells in the tonsils from 25/25, 21/25, 23/25, and 0/25 pigs from the VR2385, VR2431, Lelystad, and control groups, respectively, stained positive for virus antigen. Other tissues and cells in which virus antigen was detected included macrophages and endothelial cells in the heart, macrophages, and interdigitating cells in the thymus, macrophages and dendritic cells in the spleen and Peyer's patches, and macrophages in hepatic sinusoids, renal medullary interstitium, and adrenal gland. PRRSV persisted in macrophages in the lung, tonsil, lymph node, and spleen for at least 28 days. Significantly more PRRSV antigen was detected in the lung (P < 0.01), lymph nodes (P ≤ 0.05), and tonsils (P < 0.05) of the VR2385 pigs than was detected in the same tissues of the VR2431 and Lelystad pigs. The cell types in which PRRSV antigen was detected and the distribution of PRRSV antigen-positive cells within particular tissues and organs were generally similar for the different virus inoculation groups despite differences in virulence of the isolates.