Exudative epidermitis and porcine circovirus-2 infection in a Swedish SPF-herd

Eva Wattrang*, Francis McNeilly, Gordon M. Allan, Christina Greko, Caroline Fossum, Per Wallgren

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

An outbreak of exudative epidermitis (EE) among piglets in a Swedish SPF-herd initiated a survey for indications as to the cause of disease. The herd was established by caesarean section and has been closed to all new animal material, with the exception of semen for artificial insemination (AI). The study comprised serum samples from the SPF-herd over a 10-year period (n=109) and a close monitoring of animals in the herd during the period after the EE outbreak. Serum samples from conventional boars at the AI-station servicing the herd were also included (n=9). All serum samples were tested for antibodies to porcine circovirus-2 (PCV-2). In addition, 3-week-old piglets from three litters (n=24) farrowed close after the initial EE outbreak were closely monitored for clinical signs of skin disease, sampled for Staphylococcus hyicus, tested for antibodies to porcine parvovirus and in sequentially collected serum samples tested for interferon-α (IFN-α) and interleukin-6. The PVC-2 serology showed that animals in the herd were sero-negative at least until 2 months prior to the EE outbreak. During the period close after the EE outbreak the animals showed varying levels of antibodies to PCV-2 but all the tested animals had sero-converted 4 months later. The AI boars were also sero-positive to PCV-2 at the time of the EE outbreak. Animals in the SPF-herd remained sero-positive to PCV-2 during the following 7 years. In the monitored litters, one piglet had clinical EE and 15 piglets displayed defined erythemas on the abdomen. Fourteen of the piglets also had IFN-α in serum on one or more occasions during the study, indicating viral activity among the animals. S. hyicus was isolated from all of the piglets from the earliest sampling point (3 days of age) and onwards, irrespective of clinical signs. PCV-2 was isolated from lymphnode tissue collected from one of the EE affected pigs. Further, increases in the number of stillborn piglets, small litters (<6 piglets) and repeat breeders could be correlated to the time of PCV-2 sero-conversion. Coincidence of active viral infection and sero-conversion to PCV-2 points to the virus as the cause of the EE outbreak and reproductive disturbances.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)281-293
Number of pages13
JournalVeterinary Microbiology
Volume86
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 May 2002
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Council for Forestry and Agricultural Research. The authors wish to thank P. Söderström, S. Johansson and J. Vallgårda for their kind co-operation as well as I.-L. Wilén and L. Fuxler for their skilled technical assistance.

Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Exudative epidermitis
  • Pig
  • Porcine circovirus-2
  • Reproduction
  • Staphylococcus hyicus

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • General Veterinary

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