Survey of porcine circovirus 2 and postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome in New South Wales piggeries.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) is occurring in the New South Wales pig population and to determine the current and past seroprevalence of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2).


METHODS
Pig veterinarians were contacted seeking submission of tissues from animals with clinical signs suggestive of PMWS. Samples were also accepted from suspected cases of porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS). Serological studies were also undertaken on archival sera and sera submitted during the study.


METHODS
Histopathological examination was undertaken on all tissues submitted. The presence of PCV2 was determined by immunohistochemistry. Sera were tested for PCV2 using a commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit modified for testing of serum samples.


RESULTS
No cases of PMWS were identified during the study. Four cases of PDNS were identified. PCV2 antibody was detected in 80% of archival sera from 1995 and 75.8% from 2001. Seroprevalence in samples tested during 2002-2003 was 87.8%. PCV2 was isolated from tissues of a case of PDNS.


CONCLUSIONS
PCV2 is widespread in the New South Wales pig population and has been since at least 1995. This study describes the first isolation of an Australian PCV2. No cases of PMWS were identified in New South Wales.
Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, PMB 8, Camden NSW 2570, Australia.
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D
Finlaison
P
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Kirkland
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R
Luong
A
A
Ross
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D017925:Circovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D053570:Porcine Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013552:Swine; D014886:Weaning
D000914:Antibodies, Viral