2.2. Conventional specific-pathogen-free pigs and experimental pig
infection
Twenty 3-week-old, PEDV-seronegative weaned (n = 20), large
white
Duroc crossbred pigs and 2 seronegative pregnant sows to
acquire additional nursing piglets (n = 20), were obtained from a
PEDV-free SPF (confirmed by history and seronegative sows; lack
of qRT-PCR-positive fecal samples) swine herd of the Ohio State
University. The SPF herd was seronegative for antibodies to PRRSV,
PRCV, TGEV and porcine circovirus type 2. To mimic
field
conditions of nursing piglets, two sows were allowed to farrow
naturally and nurse their piglets freely throughout the experiment.
Twenty 9-day-old nursing piglets were randomly assigned to one
of two groups and housed separately: PEDV infected (n = 9) and
mock (n = 11). Additionally, twenty 26-day-old weaned pigs were
randomly assigned to one of two groups with each housed