Analysis of Jembrana disease virus replication dynamics in vivo reveals strain variation and atypical responses to infection

Jembrana disease virus (JDV) is an acute lentiviral infection of Bali cattle in Indonesia. Data generated during a series of cattle infection experiments was examined and significant differences were identified in the mean plasma viral load on the first and second days of the febrile response in cattle infected with JDVTAB/87 compared to those infected with JDVPUL/01. The peak and total viral loads ≥ 106 genome copies/ml during the acute stage of the disease were significantly higher in JDVTAB/87 infected cattle. JDVPUL/01 infected cattle developed peak rectal temperatures earlier than the JDVTAB/87 cattle but there were no differences in the duration of the febrile responses observed for the 2 groups of animals. The plasma viremia was above 106 genome copies/ml for almost 3 days longer in JDVTAB/87 compared to JDVPUL/01 infected cattle. Atypical responses to infection occurred in approximately 15% of experimentally infected animals, characterized by reduced viral loads, lower or absent febrile responses and absence of p26-specific antibody responses. Most of these cattle developed normal Tm-specific antibody responses between 4–12 weeks post-infection.