Porcine circovirus

Porcine circovirus The (PCV ) Type 2 is a virus, which is found in pigs. It belongs to the virus family Circoviridae, genus Circovirus and has a circular, single-stranded DNA with ambisense polarity as genome. The PCV has no viral envelope; It is therefore very environmentally stable and difficult to inactivate with disinfectants.

The infection with PCV - 2 is one of the most important problems in acquiring companies. The pathogens were detected since 1962, outbreaks however, there is only since about 1998. This is still unclear how this is possible.

Symptoms

When symptoms are sneezing, coughing, nasal and eye discharge, fever to 41 ° C and growth arrest, aged 4 to 16 weeks. There are 1 to 2 weeks after weaning often Kümmerer forth. Partial experience the symptoms sneezing, sniffling and wasting even in the farrowing pens on, it can also provide abortions at all stages of gestation. The piglets have thickened, red eyes and black tears tracks ( conjunctivitis ). The lymph nodes in the leg gap are increased massively, in the normal state they are not visible. Also come on strong respiratory problems.

Associated with other diseases

PRRS and PCV -2 frequently occur together, which exacerbates the disease process. PCV -2 often causes PMWS ( postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome = " disease exemplary bother after weaning " ) and PDNS (Porcine Dermatitis and Nephropathy Syndrome = lesions, kidney damage and therefore high losses); PMWS and PDNS occur very often together. Often occurs even with a PCV -2 mycoplasma infection at the same time, so that the co-infection can be treated with antibiotics, but not the virus infection with PCV - 2 itself

Disease factors

PCV -2 is a factor disease, that is, that there is not a single trigger, but the disease is influenced by several factors. It is, for example, strongly favored by epidemiological and hygienic factors like a pig dense region, PRRS, a continuous feeding of compartments, throwing balance of older piglets, resetting of piglets in younger groups, the mixing of different provenances, no optimal gilts inclusion and by restocking.

There is by cell culture studies pointing out that a disease caused by PCV -2 by a simultaneous presence of PCV -1 and a cooperative pathogenicity of both viruses caused.

Prevention

As a countermeasure, the management optimization and compliance with strict veterinary measures is most significant. The litter compensation must be minimized, the needles need to be changed after each throw, the castration utensils should be disinfected after each throw. The farrowing houses and flat decks should only be occupied in the consequent in-out method, hence there can be no Back stables in younger groups with smaller piglets. Sick piglets must be immediately separated and if need be culled in time. The husbandry conditions must be optimized ( right occupation density, good air quality, etc.). The piglets should receive only the best quality food and water, and the gilts integration needs to be optimized, it should be at most incorporated six times per year gilts should obtain necessarily at least 6 weeks -integration period in which they are kept separate from the rest of the herd. Here the gilts must also get the optimal immune prophylaxis. The measures on piglets in the first week of life should be greatly reduced, since stress promotes diseases. Observations also go as meaning that an immune stimulation in the first week of life, such as a vaccine the risk of PCV -2 infection and hence the risk of PMWS and PDNS increased, which is, however, also associated with insufficiently sterile conditions during vaccination and transmission of PCV 2. In animals with an existing infection should not vaccinate or induce stress in other ways, but you have to consider here, for a timely and consistent treatment is very important.