Causative agent of the mystery swine disease, vaccine compositions and diagnostic kits

Abstract

Composition of matter comprising the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, Lelystad Agent, in a live, attenuated, dead, or recombinant form, or a part or component of it. Vaccine compositions and diagnostic kits based thereon. Recombinant nucleic acid comprising a Lelystad Agent-specific nucleotide sequence. Peptides comprising a Lelystad Agent-specific amino acid sequence. Lelystad Agent-specific antibodies.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for detecting swine infertility and respiratory syndrome virus in a tissue sample, said method comprising: 
 forming a cell lysate from a tissue sample;    adding an antibody to the cell lysate to form a complex with a viral antigen, wherein the antibody specifically binds to a 15 kD antigen of a causative viral agent of swine infertility and respiratory syndrome; and    detecting the complex.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the complex is detected with an anti-species antibody.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the anti-species antibody includes a radioactive or color producing label.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is obtained by intranasally inoculating a specific pathogen free sow with two milliliters of a virus identified as deposit number I-1102, deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (at passage level 3, titer 10 4.8  TCID 50 /milliliter) and collecting serum antibodies from the thus inoculated sow after 25 to 33 days.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the cell lysate further comprises passing the cell lysate through a filter.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , comprising passing the cell lysate through a 0.2 μm filter.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue sample includes material from a swine lung, brain, spleen, kidney or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         9 . A method for detecting swine infertility and respiratory syndrome virus, said method comprising: 
 contacting an antibody and a sample suspected of containing a swine infertility and respiratory syndrome virus to form a complex between the antibody and a viral antigen, wherein the antibody specifically binds to a 15 kD antigen of a causative viral agent of swine infertility and respiratory syndrome; and    detecting the complex.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the antibody is obtained by intranasally inoculating a specific pathogen free sow with two milliliters of a virus identified as deposit number I-1102, deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (at passage level 3, titer 10 4.8  TCID 50 /milliliter) and collecting serum antibodies from the thus inoculated sow after 25 to 33 days.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the sample includes a tissue sample.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the tissue sample includes material from a swine lung, brain, spleen, kidney or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the sample includes swine lung tissue.  
     
     
         15 . A method for detecting swine infertility and respiratory syndrome virus in a sample, said method comprising: 
 forming a precipitated complex between a viral antigen in the sample and an antibody which specifically binds to a 15 kD antigen of a causative viral agent of swine infertility and respiratory syndrome; and    detecting the precipitated complex.    
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the antibody is obtained by intranasally inoculating a specific pathogen free sow with two milliliters of a virus identified as deposit number I-1102, deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (at passage level 3, titer 10 4.8  TCID 50 /milliliter) and collecting serum antibodies from the thus inoculated sow after 25 to 33 days.  
     
     
         18 . A method for detecting swine infertility and respiratory syndrome virus in a tissue sample, said method comprising: 
 immobilizing the tissue sample on a support;    contacting an antibody with immobilized tissue sample to form a complex between the antibody and a viral antigen, wherein the antibody specifically binds to a 15 kD antigen of a causative viral agent of swine infertility and respiratory syndrome; and    detecting the complex.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the antibody is obtained by intranasally inoculating a specific pathogen free sow with two milliliters of a virus identified as deposit number I-1102, deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (at passage level 3, titer 10 4.8  TCID 50 /milliliter) and collecting serum antibodies from the thus inoculated sow after 25 to 33 days.  
     
     
         21 . A method for detecting swine infertility and respiratory syndrome virus in a tissue sample, said method comprising: 
 forming a suspension from a tissue sample;    adding an antibody to the suspension to form a complex with a viral antigen, wherein the antibody specifically binds to a 15 kD antigen of a causative viral agent of swine infertility and respiratory syndrome; and    detecting the complex.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the complex is detected with an anti-species antibody.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the anti-species antibody includes a radioactive or color producing label.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is obtained by intranasally inoculating a specific pathogen free sow with two milliliters of a virus identified as deposit number I-1102, deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (at passage level 3, titer 10 4.8  TCID 50 /milliliter) and collecting serum antibodies from the thus inoculated sow after 25 to 33 days.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the suspension further comprises passing the suspension through a filter.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 6 , comprising passing the suspension through a 0.2 μm filter.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue sample includes material from a swine lung, brain, spleen, kidney or a mixture thereof.