Antigenic differentiation of classical swine fever vaccinal strain PAV-250 from other strains, including field strains from Mexico

Twenty-nine classical swine fever virus (CSFv) strains were grown in the PK15 or SK6 cell lines. Antigenic differentiation studies were performed using monoclonal antibodies (McAbs), produced at Lelystad (CDI-DLO), The Netherlands. The monoclonals which were classified numerically as monoclonals 2–13. Epitope map patterns that resulted from the reactivity with McAbs were found to be unrelated to the pathogenicity of the viruses studied. Antigenic determinants were recognized by McAbs 5 and 8, were not detected in some Mexican strains; however, sites for McAb 6 were absent in all strains. The PAV-250 vaccine strain was recognized by all MAbs, except by MAb 6. Furthermore, the Chinese C-S vaccine strain was found to be very similar to the GPE− vaccine. None of the studied Mexican vaccines or field strains was found to be similar to the PAV-250 vaccine strain.