Distribució orgànica de vectors autolimitants defectius del virus de la gastroenteritis porcina transmissible (TGEV) i coronavirus ajudants porcins. Efecte protector enfront inoculació

The standariztion of techniques for detection of atenuated strains of TGE coronavirus, and of minigenomes based also on TGEV, will be attempted in tissues of infected pigs. With these techniques, the sequential distribution of these defective TGEV vectors and homologous helper coronavirus will be investigated in tissues of both piglets and weaners infected by the oral or intranasal route. Also, infection by PRRS virus will be assesed in tissues of infected pigs by RT-PCR and in situ hibridization, as and alternative technique to immunocytochemistry. Whwn TGEV-based vectors with insertion of immunogenic proteins of PRRS virus are available, these vectors will be used in preliminary protection experiments, using a pathogenic field strain of PRRS virus for challenge.