Survival of Aujeszky's disease virus in slurry at various temperatures.

Survival of Aujeszky's disease virus in pig slurry was investigated during anaerobic storage at 5, 20, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 degrees C using 100-ml laboratory models simulating the conditions in slurry tanks during winter and summer seasons and during anaerobic digestion in batch reactors. The inactivation rate was found to increase with increasing temperature. Virus was inactivated at 5 and 20 degrees C in 15 weeks and 2 weeks, respectively. At 35 degrees C (mesophilic conditions) the virus was inactivated in 5 hours and at 55 degrees C (thermophilic conditions) no virus could be detected after 10 minutes.