Infectious nucleic acid from a transmissible agent causing gastroenteritis in pigs

Abstract Infectious nucleic acid has been isolated from two stock TGE virus preparations. Infectivity of the nucleic acid for pigs and cell culture was inactivated by ribonuclease, but not by deoxyribonuclease. Phenol extraction procedures removed a myxo-like virus associated with both TGE virus isolates. However, a cytopathogenic agent has been isolated from the nucleic acid preparations, from faeces of nucleic acid infected pig and brains of infected mice. The agent is common to both TGE isolates, but serologically different from the myxo-like agent associated with untreated TGE virus isolates. Pigs that are infected with this agent do not have the severe signs associated with transmissible gastroenteritis. Preliminary evidence indicates that such pigs are protected against a challenge with TGE virus. These experiments proved that the cytopathogenic TGE virus isolates used in these experiments were mixed virus populations.