title: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction for Porcine circovirus-2 in swine feces in a Porcine circovirus disease-affected commercial herd and a nonaffected commercial herd.
abstract: This study examined if pigs in a Porcine circovirus disease (PCVD)-affected herd (n = 100) had shed more Porcine circovirus-2 (PCV-2) in their feces than pigs in a PCVD-nonaffected herd (n = 101), and if differences in shedding among production stages within and between the herds existed. The PCV-2 shedding was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The highest median PCV-2 shedding was found in the nursery of the PCVD-affected herd and in the grower of the PCVD-nonaffected herd. The PCV-2 shedding was significantly higher in earlier stages (newly weaned, nursery, and pregrower) in the PCVD-affected herd (Wilcoxon rank sum; P < 0.001) compared with the PCVD-nonaffected herd. Porcine circovirus-2 DNA was not detected in a significant proportion of lactating sows (parity > or = 3) in the PCVD-nonaffected herd (Fisher's exact test; P = 0.001). The results of this study suggest there may be an association between the presence of PCV-2 in the feces of lactating sows and increased PCV-2 shedding in younger pigs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. kathy.mcintosh@usask.ca
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: McIntosh
authors.forename: John C S
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krakowka
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Allan
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ellis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017925:Circovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D053570:Porcine Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012525:Saskatchewan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013552:Swine; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral