The effects of exposure of susceptible alpacas to alpacas persistently infected with bovine viral diarrhea virus.

Reports of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infections in alpacas have been increasing in recent years but much is still unknown about the mechanisms of disease in this species. This report characterizes the transmission of BVDV from persistently infected (PI) alpacas to BVDV naïve alpacas, documents shedding patterns, and characterizes the disease effects in both PI and transiently infected alpacas. Two PI alpacas shed BVDV Type 1b virus in most body fluids, and commonly available diagnostic tests verified their status. Bovine viral diarrhea virus Type 1b transient infections produced only mild signs of disease in BVDV naïve alpacas. Viremia was detected in whole blood, but viral shedding during the acute phase was not detected and antibody appeared to be protective upon re-exposure to the virus.