Type 2 porcine circovirus (PCV2) is associated with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome in pigs, whereas the genetically related type 1 PCV (PCV1) is nonpathogenic. In this study, seven monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against PCV2-ORF2 capsid protein were generated, biologically characterized, and subsequently used to map the antigenic sites of PCV2 capsid protein by using infectious PCV DNA clones containing PCV1/PCV2-ORF2 chimeras. The PCV1/PCV2-ORF2 chimeras were constructed by serial deletions of PCV2-ORF2 and replacement with the corresponding sequences of the PCV1-ORF2. The reactivities of chimeric PCV1/PCV2 clones in transfected PK-15 cells with the seven MAbs were detected by an immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The chimera (r140) with a deletion of 47 amino acids at the N terminus of PCV2-ORF2 reacted strongly to all seven MAbs. Expanding the deletion of PCV2-ORF2 from residues 47 to 57 (r175) abolished the recognition of MAb 3B7, 3C11, 4A10, 6H2, or 8F6 to the chimera. Further deletion of PCV2-ORF2 to 62 residues disrupted the binding of this chimera to all seven MAbs. IFA reactivities with all MAbs were absent when residues 165 to 233 at the C terminus of PCV2-ORF2 was replaced with that of PCV1-ORF2. Extending the sequence of PCV2-ORF2 from residues 165 (r464) to 185 (r526), 200 (r588), or 224 (r652) restored the ability of the three chimeras to react with MAbs 3C11, 6H2, 9H7, and 12G3 but not with 8F6, 3B7, or 4A10. When the four amino acids at the C terminus of r588 were replaced with that of PCV2-ORF2, the resulting chimera (r588F) reacted with all seven MAbs. The results from this study suggest that these seven MAbs recognized at least five different but overlapping conformational epitopes within residues 47 to 63 and 165 to 200 and the last four amino acids at the C terminus of the PCV2 capsid protein.Porcine circovirus (PCV), classified in the family Circoviridae (17), is a small nonenveloped DNA virus with a circular genome (33). PCV was first isolated as a contaminant of a porcine kidney cell line, PK-15 (33). The PK-15 cell line-derived PCV, designated PCV1, was nonpathogenic in swine (2, 34). Recently, a new disease, named postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), has emerged in pigs (7,12). A genetic variant strain of PCV, designated PCV2, was isolated from pigs with PMWS (3,8,22). Genetic and pathogenesis studies revealed that the nonpathogenic PCV1 and the PMWS-associated PCV2 belong to two different genotypes (9)(10)(11)(20)(21)(22).PMWS is currently considered an important swine disease and potentially has a serious economic impact on the global swine industry. Clinical signs of the disease include progressive weight loss, emaciation, difficult breathing, and jaundice (7,12). The disease frequently occurs in pigs 5 to 18 weeks old (12). Morbidity is usually low, but case fatality can be more than 50% in epidemic herds (12). The pathogenesis of PCV2-induced PMWS is not well defined, but the disease is believed to be mediated by the host immune response (15). Cases of PMWS/PCV...

A spontaneous malignant thymoma was found in an 18‐month‐old female BUF/Mna rat and serially transplanted subcutaneously in both syngeneic BUF/Mna rats (designated as MTH‐R) and KSN nude mice (MTH‐NM) for more than 5 years. Both tumors shared the histological appearance of sarcomatoid carcinoma as seen in the original tumor. However, MTH‐NM grew faster than MTH‐in the respective hosts. The MTH‐NM grew in both KSN‐nude mice and BUF/Mna‐ rnu/rnu rats but not in BUF/Mna rats the host of the original tumor. Three continuous tissue culture cell lines (MTHC‐1, MTHC‐2 and MTHC‐3) were established from the MTH‐NM tumors at the 2nd, 15th and 17th transplantation generations, respectively. The MTH‐NM tumors and latter two tissue culture cell lines carried one or more mouse chromosomes, probably acquired by cell fusion with mouse cells during passages in vivo. The presence of the mouse chromosomes was confirmed by the presence of mouse DNA and of antibodies to the MTHC‐2 and MTHC‐3 cells in the sera of BUF/Mna rats transplanted with MTH‐NM.

Every year, ten thousand Sunda Pangolins (Manis javanica) are rescued and confiscated from the illegal trade around Southeast Asia, including Thailand. Most of them are usually moribund and need intensive veterinary interventions to recover their health before being released to the wild. However, a lack of reliable haematology and clinical biochemistry references for Thai confiscated Sunda pangolins is a major difficulty for reaching this goal. The aim of this study was to establish a standard panel of haematology and serum biochemistry profiles used for confiscated pangolins in Thailand. Coccygeal venepuncture of 52 confiscated pangolins was performed. Haematology and serum biochemistry data acquisitions were made using automated blood analysers. The lower and upper limits at 90% confidence interval were calculated. The means of all parameters were calculated and then compared with those in two previous studies (p < 0.005). Blood corpuscle morphometry was done manually. All blood corpuscles in females were bigger than males. There were differences of haematologic and biochemical parameters among this study and previous studies in some aspects. Wide scientific discussion was made to explain these variations. A panel of haematology and serum biochemistry profiles for Thai confiscated Sunda pangolin has been established. Veterinarians can refer to all parameters to evaluate the animals’ health and diseases.