Shedding of rotavirus in feces of sows before and after farrowing

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Abstract
Whether sows shed rotavirus near the time of farrowing was studied. Twelve sows purchased from a common source and seropositive for rotavirus were housed in isolation in farrowing crates from 5 days before to 3 wk after farrowing. Fecal samples were collected at 3-4 day intervals and examined for the presence of rotavirus by direct EM. Samples were also treated with pancreatin and inoculated onto monkey kidney cells. Rotaviral antigens were detected by a direct immunofluorescence technique; selected positive cultures were examined by immuno-EM. Rotavirus was detected in the feces of 5 of 12 sows as early as 5 days before to 2 wk after farrowing. Diarrhea related to rotavirus developed in 4 of 12 litters. Two of these 4 litters were farrowed by sows which shed rotavirus at 7 and 10 and 14 days after farrowing. Thus, sows immune to rotavirus evidently can shed virus in their feces at a time when piglets are particularly susceptible to infection. Therefore, adult swine are of primary importance in the epidemiology of rotavirus as initiators of infection.