title: Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of important pig viral diseases in Bhutan.
abstract: A cross-sectional serological study was conducted in Bhutan between October 2011 and February 2012 to determine the prevalence of antibodies to classical swine fever virus (CSFV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), swine influenza virus (SIV) subtype H1N1 and Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV). Furthermore, risk factors for the seropositive status were investigated. Antibodies to SIV, subtype H1N1 (likely pandemic H1N1 2009) were detected in 49% of the pigs in the government farms, and 8% of the village backyard pigs. For PCV2, these percentages were 73% and 37% respectively. For CSFV, the percentages were closer together, with 62% and 52% respectively. It should be taken into consideration that vaccination of piglets is routine in the government herds, and that piglets distributed to backyard farms are also vaccinated. No direct evidence of CSFV infections was found, either by clinical signs or virus isolation. Antibodies to PRRSV and Aujeszky's disease, on the other hand, were not found at all. Risk factors found are mainly related to practices of swill feeding and other biosecurity measures. For CSFV, these were swill feeding (OR=2.25, 95% CI: 1.01-4.99) and contact with neighbour's pigs (OR=0.31, 95% CI: 0.13-0.75). For PCV2 this was lending of boars for local breeding purposes (OR=3.30, 95% CI: 1.43-7.59). The results of this study showed that PCV2 and SIV infections are important in pigs in Bhutan and thus appropriate control strategies need to be designed and applied which could involve strict regulation on the import of live pigs and vaccination against these diseases.
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen UR, Department of Virology, P.O. Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands; National Centre for Animal Health, Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Thimphu, Bhutan. Electronic address: reekraika@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Monger
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stegeman
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koop
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Animal Health, Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Thimphu, Bhutan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dukpa
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Animal Health, Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Thimphu, Bhutan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tenzin
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen UR, Department of Virology, P.O. Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W L A
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Loeffen
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001631:Bhutan / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D006799:Housing, Animal; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: Aujeszky's disease virus; Bhutan; Classical swine fever virus; ELISA; Haemagglutination test; Pig viral diseases; Porcine circovirus; Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus; Seroprevalence; Swine influenza virus; Virus neutralization test