Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Monitoring Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Experimentally Challenged Calves

Authors

• Erin Blanchard, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
• Jelena Muncan, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
• Grace Beddingfield, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
• Cassandra Barber, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
• Florencia Meyer, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
• Santiago Cornejo, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
• Merrilee Thoresen, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
• Amelia Woolums, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
• Carrie Vance, Mississippi State UniversityFollow

Faculty Advisor

Carrie Vance

Faculty Advisor Email

ckv7@msstate.edu

Abstract

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a multifactorial disease complex that causes significant economic loss in the cattle industry. Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), one of the primary viruses included in BRD, primarily targets the lower respiratory tract and causes a wide variety of subclinical and clinical signs. Current diagnosis techniques require off-site laboratory testing, creating delays that allow BRSV to spread through herds and highlighting the need for rapid diagnostic methods. The objective of the study was to evaluate near-infrared spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool for BRSV detection across varying infection severities. Twenty-two Holstein bull calves were reared in research pens at Mississippi State University from 1 week old until 12 weeks of age when the study began. At 12 weeks old, the calves were randomly divided into 4 groups and challenged via aerosol with 10³, 10⁴, and 10⁵ TCID₅₀ units of BRSV, creating low, medium, and high dose groups respectively. Negative control was nebulized with cell culture media. Biofluid samples, including serum, plasma, nasal secretions, saliva, and breath condensate, were collected daily for 14 days following infection. The presence and severity of infection was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) threshold (Ct) values. Near-infrared spectra of all sample types were acquired using an ASD FieldSpec 4 NIR spectrometer (350–2500 nm) and analyzed within the 1300–1600 nm region (first overtone of water). Data was pre-processed using different techniques and classified using Soft Modeling of Class Analogies (SIMCA) to distinguish BRSV-positive (Ct < 35) from negative (Ct > 35) samples. Preliminary results showed variation in accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity across biofluids, with overall classification accuracy ranging from 42.8% to 76.4%. Nasal secretions produced the highest accuracy, while plasma demonstrated a more balanced sensitivity–specificity relationship among blood-derived samples. This approach demonstrates potential for a rapid alternative to conventional diagnostic methods for BRSV, suggesting that NIRS can detect biochemical changes in biofluids in cattle.

Recommended Citation

Blanchard, Erin; Muncan, Jelena; Beddingfield, Grace; Barber, Cassandra; Meyer, Florencia; Cornejo, Santiago; Thoresen, Merrilee; Woolums, Amelia; and Vance, Carrie (2026) "Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Monitoring Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Experimentally Challenged Calves," Endeavors: Mississippi State Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55533/3071-012X.1018
Available at: https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/endeavors/vol2/iss1/3