title: Acute phase proteins as a tool for differential diagnosis of wasting diseases in growing pigs.
abstract: The concentrations of haptoglobin (Hp), C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) were measured in wasted pigs, first to evaluate their usefulness in the diagnosis of infectious, wasting diseases in pigs, and second, to evaluate whether their concentrations can distinguish the lymphoid depletion score in the lymph tissues of wasted affected pigs. Fifty-three wasted pigs and seven specific pathogen free (SPF) pigs were postmortem examined. Gross lesions were evaluated and samples for histopathological, immunohistochemical, molecular biology and microbiological analysis were taken. Thirty-one pigs were diagnosed as postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and 22 as porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC). Lymphoid depletion degree in lymph tissues of PMWS and PRDC affected pigs was determined. Serum Hp was significantly higher in pigs with PRDC in comparison with the PMWS affected pigs. Serum CRP concentration was significantly lower in pigs with PRDC than in PMWS affected pigs (P<0.001). CRP and SAA levels increased with the lymphoid depletion score, presenting statistical differences between pigs with no depletion and pigs with low, moderate or severe lymphoid depletion (P<0.05, P<0.05 and P<0.001 for CRP and P<0.01, P<0.01 and P<0.01 for SAA, respectively). Hp was higher in pigs with no or low depletion compared with the pigs suffering severe lymphoid depletion (P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively).
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain. jjquere@um.es
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Quereda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seva
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramis
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cerón
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Pallarés
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D053570:Porcine Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D019318:Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D019282:Wasting Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D006242:Haptoglobins; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein