Occurrence of swine salmonellosis in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) affected pigs concurrently infected with porcine reproduction and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)

Fourteen diseased pigs from four farms in which there had been an outbreak of salmonellosis were investigated. Granulomatous inflammation with depletion of lymphocytes was observed in the swollen lymph nodes in these pigs. Antigens to porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) were immunolabeled in the lesions along with detection of viral DNA as PCV2 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, antigens to porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) were immunodetected in the lungs and Salmonella Choleraesuis was isolated from the affected pigs. The nine salmonellosis affected pigs, five (55.6%) with salmonellosis and PMWS concurrently infected with PRRSV were much higher than those infected with salmonellosis and PMWS (22.2%) or with salmonellosis and PPPRV (22.2%).     

Induction of porcine post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in pigs from PMWS unaffected herds following mingling with pigs from PMWS-affected herds

In this paper we present the results from two experimental studies (I and II) investigating whether post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) can be induced in pigs from PMWS unaffected herds by mingling with pigs from PMWS-affected herds and to observe whether transportation and/or mingling of healthy pigs from unaffected herds could induce PMWS.The studies comprised pigs from 12 different herds. Eight herds had PMWS while four were unaffected. All 12 herds were found to be infected with PCV2. Pigs from PMWS-affected herds were mingled with pigs from unaffected herds in four separate compartments in both study I and study II. In addition, in study II, four groups of pigs from unaffected herds were included. Two groups with pigs transported and mingled from unaffected herds and two groups with pigs which were only transported. The PMWS diagnoses on the individual pigs were based on lymphoid depletion, histiocytic proliferation and the presence of giant cells or inclusion bodies together with the demonstration of PCV2 in lymphoid tissue.Healthy pigs, in both studies, developed PMWS 4–5 weeks after mingling with pigs clinically affected with PMWS. None of the pigs from unaffected herds which had no contact with pigs from PMWS-affected herds developed clinical signs of PMWS. Transportation and mingling of pigs from PMWS unaffected herds in combination or alone was insufficient to provoke PMWS.     

Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in pigs. A review

Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome, caused by porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), is a recently described clinical condition which affects nursery and growing pigs. PMWS was initially recognized in Canada in 1991 and nowadays is considered to be worldwide distributed. Clinically, PMWS most representative symptoms include wasting, unthriftness, paleness of the skin, respiratory distress, diarrhea and sometimes icterus. PCV2 infection occurs in both PMWS affected and non-affected farms, and viral seroconversion shows a typical pattern, with declining of colostral antibodies during the lactating and nursery periods, with the lowest levels at the end of the nursery period, and active seroconversion of almost all pigs during the grower period. Although antibodies to PCV2 have been detected as early as 1969, no explanation for the emergence of this disease in the 90s has been established. Macroscopic lesions associated with PMWS are quite unspecific, but histopathological lesions in lymphoid tissues (lymphocyte depletion with histiocytic infiltration) are almost unique for this disease. These lesions together with other clinical and laboratorial findings suggest that severely affected pigs may be immunosuppressed. The criteria used for the diagnosis of PMWS include the existence of compatible clinical signs, presence of characteristic microscopic lesions and detection of PCV2 within these lesions. Because of the lack of appropriate treatment or vaccination against PCV2, zootechnical changes have been proposed in affected farms to reduce the so-called "infection pressure" due to PCV2 as well as to any other pathogen.     

Pathological investigations of pigs with porcine multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)

Extract

Pathological changes and immunohistochemical (IHC) examination for porcine circovirus-2 (PCV-2) in nine weaner pigs from a property with PMWS are reported. The pigs were in moderate to poor body condition, and several had diarrhoea and noisy respiration. The outstanding pathological changes related to microscopic lesions in lymphoid tissues, including lymph nodes, palatine tonsils, Peyer's patches, peribronchial lymphoid aggregates and spleen. While there was variability of expression of change between and within cases, the main features of lesions could be summarised as depletion of lymphoid cells, infiltration of histiocytes (often syncytial), and the presence of botryoid intra-cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in macrophages. The changes in lymphoid tissue were typical of those described in PMWS. Also characteristic of this syndrome were histiocyte-dominated cellular inflammatory infiltrates in kidney, liver and lung. There was strong correlation between IHC positivity for PCV-2 and the lesions in lymphoid, pulmonary and renal tissues. Concurrent diseases that are probably promoted by immune suppression may complicate the diagnosis of PMWS. In the present cases, salmonellosis, attaching and effacing Escherichia coli infections, and secondary bacterial bronchopneumonia were identified.     

西班牙和丹麦受感染猪场的猪个体感染断奶后多系统衰竭综合征的风险因素

研究人员对来自西班牙(n=3)和丹麦(n=10)13家感染断奶后多系统衰竭综合征(PostweaningMuhisystemic Wasting Syndrome,PMWS)的猪场进行了2项前瞻性纵向研究.猪的血液样本从第1周开始纵向采集直到爆发PMWS为止.相同日龄的健康或衰竭性猪都进行安乐死、尸体解剖和组织病理学描述.通过淋巴病变、原位杂交或免疫组织化学方法检测这些组织中的PCV2,从而确诊PMWS.血清分析在纵向采集的血清样本中进行,以检测针对PCV2、猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒(Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus,PRRSV)、猪细小病毒(Porcine ParvoVirus,PPV)、猪流感病毒(Swine Influenza Virus,SIV)、细胞内罗森氏菌(Lawsonia intracellularis,law)、猪肺炎支原体(Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae)、猪伪狂犬病病毒(Aujeszky's Disease Virus,ADV)和沙门菌(Salmonella spp.)的抗体.Cox比例风险模型(Cox proportional hazards model)被用来研究血清转换和抗所研究病原体母体免疫的同步效应.     

Porcine circovirus type 2-associated cerebellar vasculitis in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)-affected pigs

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is associated with several syndromes in growing pigs, including postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome. In the present study, a previously undescribed neurovascular disorder associated with a PCV2 infection is described. Sixteen pigs showed clinical signs of wasting and neurologic deficits. Acute hemorrhages and edema of cerebellar meninges and parenchyma due to a necrotizing vasculitis resulted in degeneration and necrosis of the gray and white matter. Few to numerous PCV2 DNA and antigen-bearing endothelial cells were detected in affected areas of the brain using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Conventional histochemical stains, as well as the detection of caspase 3 activity and DNA strand breaks by the terminal transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay, showed numerous apoptotic endothelial cells in the vascular lesions observed. Sequencing of various brain-derived PCV2-specific amplicons revealed a strong identity between different isolates and an 89 to 100% identity to previous isolates. The phylogenetic tree showed that there was no clustering of isolates correlating to clinical signs or geographic distribution. This previously undescribed PCV2-associated neurologic disease has features of both postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome and, to a lesser extent, porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome. The available evidence suggests that direct virus-induced apoptosis of endothelial cells plays a role in the pathogenesis of this unusual PCV2-associated cerebellar vasculitis.     

Immunohistochemical characterisation of the lymph node reaction in pig post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)

The goal of this study was to identify a strain of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) that would be more virulent for adult cats than the prototype FIV-APetaluma and, thereby, enhance the FIV infection model for HIV-1 related research. Diehl et al. reported that one clade C strain of FIV, FIV-CPGammar, was more virulent than other known FIV isolates. Mortalities from 58 to 100% were reported for kittens 12 weeks of age and less following intravenous inoculation. A more variable and somewhat less virulent disease course was observed in neonatal to 8-10-week-old kittens infected orally, intravaginally or intrarectally with this same isolate (Obert and Hoover, 2000). However, no studies have been done with FIV-CPGammar in adult cats. Therefore, the virulence of FIV-CPGammar for young adult cats was compared to that of FIV-APetalulma, the original FIV isolate. One group of five cats were inoculated intraperitoneally with 470 TCID(50) of FIV-CPGammar in the form of pooled plasma from acutely infected cats, while a second group was infected with plasma containing the 750 TCID50 of FIV-APetaluma. The cats were observed for 20 weeks for gross signs of disease, hematologic abnormalities, time of antibody appearance, and plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) associated virus levels. Viral RNA and proviral DNA were measured by a real-time PCR, sensitive to 50 copies per milliliter. The only outward sign of disease was lymphadenopathy, which occurred at a similar time and intensity in both groups of cats. Cats infected with FIV-CPGammar were more likely to be neutropenic and lymphopenic during the first 10-12 weeks of infection than cats infected with FIV-APetaluma. Both groups of cats showed similar overall declines in absolute mean CD4 cell counts and identical concomitant increases in CD8 cells. CD4/CD8 cell ratios were also similar. Antibody, as measured by an ELISA against recombinant FIV-TM antigen, appeared in all cats by 4 weeks post-infection. The most significant differences were in plasma viral RNA and PBMC proviral DNA levels. Cats infected with FIV-CPGammar had up to 100 times higher mean levels of viral RNA during the first few weeks of infection than cats infected with FIV-APetaluma. This difference was also mirrored in levels of proviral DNA in PBMC, which were significantly higher in the FIV-CPGammar infected cats. Plasma viral RNA and PBMC proviral DNA levels were virtually identical in both groups of cats at 20 weeks post-infection. However, proviral DNA in tissues such as thymus and popliteal lymph nodes was 10-fold or so higher in FIV-CPGammar infected cats at 20 weeks and histopathologic lesions were more severe. Based on these various parameters, we concluded that FIV-CPGammar was more virulent than FIV-APetaluma in young adult cats during the 20-week study period. However, we were not able to recreate the severe and rapidly progressive disease previously reported for kittens, suggesting an age-related resistance similar to that observed previously for FIV-APetaluma (George et al., 1993).     

Risk factors for porcine post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in 149 French farrow-to-finish herds

A cross-sectional study involving 149 farms was carried out in France in 2000 and 2001 to assess the risk factors for post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). The farms were divided into three groups according to their current or past PMWS status: CASES (current and typical PMWS), CONTROLS#1 (PMWS-free farms), and CONTROLS#2 (farms which have recovered from PMWS). Two different comparisons were tested: CASES versus CONTROLS#1 and CASES versus CONTROLS#2. In the first comparison, the odds of PMWS were increased when fattening pigs tested positive for parvovirus (PPv) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus (OR=4.4 and 6.5, respectively), when separate vaccines for parvovirus and Erysipela for the gilts versus associated vaccines were used (OR=2.5), and when on-farm semen collection was used versus all the semen purchased from an insemination centre (OR=4.6). Large pens in weaning facilities increased the odds of PMWS (OR=4.1); whereas long empty periods in weaning and farrowing facilities versus shorter (OR=0.2), regular treatment against external parasites (OR=0.1), and housing the sows in collective pens during pregnancy versus individual pens (OR=0.3) all decreased the odds of PMWS. The same kinds of risk factors were found with the second comparison with, in addition, a common pit for several adjacent fattening rooms versus separate pits (OR=6.7) and a high level of cross-fostering (OR=5.1). On the other hand, when farms had a self-replacement scheme for the gilts (OR=0.1), and when vaccination of the sows against E. coli was in place (OR=0.2), the odds of PMWS were decreased.     

Descriptive summary of an outbreak of porcine post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in New Zealand

CASE HISTORY: Investigations were conducted to determine the cause of an acute, multi-farm outbreak of porcine respiratory disease that included diarrhoea and subsequent loss of body condition in affected pigs. A definition for post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) including both clinical and pathological features, previously developed for the pig industry in New Zealand, was applied to the current outbreak. In addition to self-reporting by owners of affected farms, local veterinarians, disease and epidemiology consultants, and animal health officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) were involved in conducting farm visits and submission of diagnostic specimens.

CLINICAL FINDINGS AND DIAGNOSIS: Pathogens known to be endemic in the pig industry in New Zealand as well as likely exotic diseases were excluded as causative agents of the outbreak. Clinical signs including dyspnoea, diarrhoea, and rapid loss of body condition were consistent with the New Zealand case definition for PMWS. Interstitial pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, generalised lymph-node enlargement, and presence of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) inclusion bodies were consistently identified in affected pigs. Classical swine fever virus (CSFv), Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv), and Influenza virus were ruled out, using molecular and traditional virological techniques. Spread of the disease between farms was hypothesised to be facilitated by locally migrating flocks of black-backed seagulls. The original source of the disease incursion was not identified.

DIAGNOSIS: Based on the consistent presence of circovirusassociated lesions in lymphoid tissues in combination with generalised enlargement of lymph nodes, histiocytic interstitial pneumonia, clinical wasting, and poor response to antibiotic therapy, a diagnosis of PMWS was made.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: PMWS should be considered in the differential diagnoses of sudden onset of respiratory dyspnoea, diarrhoea, and rapid loss of body condition in young pigs in New Zealand pig herds.     

Descriptive summary of an outbreak of porcine post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS ) in New Zealand

CASE HISTORY: Investigations were conducted to determine the cause of an acute, multi-farm outbreak of porcine respiratory disease that included diarrhoea and subsequent loss of body condition in affected pigs. A definition for post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) including both clinical and pathological features, previously developed for the pig industry in New Zealand, was applied to the current outbreak. In addition to self-reporting by owners of affected farms, local veterinarians, disease and epidemiology consultants, and animal health officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) were involved in conducting farm visits and submission of diagnostic specimens. CLINICAL FINDINGS AND DIAGNOSIS: Pathogens known to be endemic in the pig industry in New Zealand as well as likely exotic diseases were excluded as causative agents of the outbreak. Clinical signs including dyspnoea, diarrhoea, and rapid loss of body condition were consistent with the New Zealand case definition for PMWS. Interstitial pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, generalised lymph-node enlargement, and presence of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) inclusion bodies were consistently identified in affected pigs. Classical swine fever virus (CSFv), Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv), and Influenza virus were ruled out, using molecular and traditional virological techniques. Spread of the disease between farms was hypothesised to be facilitated by locally migrating flocks of black-backed seagulls. The original source of the disease incursion was not identified. DIAGNOSIS: Based on the consistent presence of circovirus-associated lesions in lymphoid tissues in combination with generalised enlargement of lymph nodes, histiocytic interstitial pneumonia, clinical wasting, and poor response to antibiotic therapy, a diagnosis of PMWS was made. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: PMWS should be considered in the differential diagnoses of sudden onset of respiratory dyspnoea, diarrhoea, and rapid loss of body condition in young pigs in New Zealand pig herds.     

Immunosuppression in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome affected pigs

The present review concentrates on the clinical, pathological and immunological aspects of pigs suffering from PMWS which strongly suggest that PCV2 may be, in particular conditions, a cause of secondary immunodeficiency in pigs. From a clinical point of view, the lack of antibiotic therapy response against the disease, the existence of a litter effect and the concurrence of other disease syndromes and well-known secondary pathogens, such as Pneumocystis carinii, Chlamydia spp. and Aspergillus spp., may account as features of immunosuppression in PMWS. Furthermore, pathologic, immunohistologic and flow cytometric studies also suggest that pigs with PMWS may be immunosuppressed. Lymphocyte depletion of follicular and interfollicular areas together with macrophage infiltration of lymphoid tissues is a unique lesion, which is the basic feature of PMWS affected pigs. These findings are highly correlated with the decrease of circulating B- and T-cells and the diminution of these cell types in lymphoid organs, and with the increase of macrophage/monocytes lineage cells both in peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues in both naturally and experimentally PMWS affected pigs. The altered populations of cells participating in the immune system response both in blood and tissues suggests, at least in those severely PMWS affected pigs, a transient inability of diseased pigs to mount an effective immune response. From these points of view, strong suspicions on the immunosuppressive status of PMWS affected pigs do exist; however, future studies are needed to characterise the exact role of PCV2 on the immune system of pigs affected with PMWS.     

Brain lesions in pigs affected with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome.

Anti-porcine circovirus type 2 (anti-PCV2) immunostaining was associated with cerebellar lymphohistiocytic vasculitis combined with hemorrhages (50 pigs) or with lymphohistiocytic meningitis (23 pigs) in pigs naturally affected with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). The animals originated from 12 farms in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In total, 456 unthrifty 3- to 5-month-old postweaning pigs confirmed as PMWS cases were necropsied. Although most findings mimicked those extensively reported in PMWS-affected pigs, there were distinctive brain lesions that included multiple hemorrhages in the cerebellar leptomeninges associated with lymphohistiocytic vasculitis and fibrinoid degeneration in vessels of the cerebellum and periventricular areas (69 pigs). These vascular lesions were also seen in conjunction with lymphohistiocytic meningitis (38 additional pigs). PCV2 antigen was immunohistochemically demonstrated in the cytoplasm and nuclei from intralesional perivascular macrophages and endothelial-like cells in brain tissues. Together these findings suggest that these lesions were caused by PCV2.     

Haptoglobin and pig-major acute protein are increased in pigs with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)

The objective of this study was to determine the serum concentration levels of selected acute phase proteins (APP), haptoglobin (HPT) and pig-major acute phase protein (pig-MAP), in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) affected pigs and PCV2-subclinically infected pigs. In a first study, a group of 15 eight-week-old conventional pigs from a PMWS affected farm were bled and a complete necropsy, histopathology and in situ hybridisation to detect PCV2 were performed. Based on the results, pigs were classified as suffering from PMWS (n = 10) or healthy animals (n = 5). In a second study, a group of 45 pigs from another PMWS affected farm were selected and bled at 3, 7, 12 and 28 weeks of age. The assessment of PCV2 infection status in these pigs was retrospectively done by PCV2 PCR in serum samples. Selected APP were measured in the serum of all studied pigs by means of radial immunodiffusion. Mean HPT and pig-MAP levels were significantly increased (p = 0.004 and p = 0.0006 respectively) in PMWS-affected pigs when compared to levels found in healthy pigs (2.52 +/- 0.88 mg/mL vs. 1.06 +/- 0.73 mg/mL for HPT and 3.81 +/- 1.53 mg/mL vs. 0.76 +/- 0.34 mg/mL for pig-MAP). In the second study, no significant difference in mean HPT and pig-MAP values were observed between PCV2 PCR positive and negative pigs of any age. However, both APP increased significantly with age in PCV2 PCR negative pigs. Altogether, the present results suggest that APP levels are significantly increased in pigs that develop PMWS, but not in animals with a PCV2 subclinical infection.     

Association of hepatitis E virus (HEV) and postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) with lesions of hepatitis in pigs

The aim of the study was to determine the presence of swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA and antibodies in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome-affected (n=114) and non-affected (n=46) pigs and the possible association with hepatitis lesions. Forty-four pigs were RT-PCR positive (28.2%); 25 of them were PMWS cases, while 19 were non-PMWS pigs. In both groups, HEV RT-PCR results were associated with hepatitis (OR=5.61 for PMWS-affected pigs and OR=5.17 for non-PMWS affected pigs; p=0.01). No interaction was detected in a logistic regression between PMWS occurrence and HEV infection for the development of hepatitis lesions. Seropositivity to HEV was more likely to occur in pigs with hepatitis (51.9%) compared to pigs without hepatitis (36.1%; p=0.03). Significant differences in optical densities were notices comparing the lesional stage of pigs (p=0.009). While pigs with slight or moderate hepatitis were seropositive, pigs with more severe lesions were seronegative to HEV. These results indicate that swine HEV infection can be a significant contributor to the development of moderate hepatitis in pigs regardless of the PMWS status.     

Detection of neutralizing antibodies in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)-affected and non-PMWS-affected pigs

The notion that postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)-affected pigs develop an impaired humoral response against porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) has been reported in several studies. However, little information is available regarding the presence of neutralizing antibodies (NA) in PCV2-infected pigs and their role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The aim of the present work was to further characterize the humoral response, and in particular the production of NA, in pigs with different PCV2-infection status. Seventy-two conventional pigs from different farms were classified into three groups based on PCV2 infection and clinico-pathological status, namely: PCV2-negative, non-PMWS PCV2-positive and PMWS-affected animals. In addition, 9-week old pigs from an experimental infection (6 controls and 14 PCV2-inoculated pigs) were also studied. NA and total PCV2 antibodies (TA) as well as viral load in serum were determined and correlated with the clinico-pathological status of pigs. Results indicated that PMWS-affected pigs had lower NA titres, if any, than healthy animals. NA titres were also inversely correlated with PCV2 load in serum. NA and TA titres were positively correlated; however, correlation differed among infection status, being lower in PCV2-positive pigs. Also, the diagnostic performance of each test was evaluated, indicating that the combination of viral neutralization and quantitative PCR in serum was useful to discard PMWS (specificity 92%). In experimentally infected animals, the evolution of NA paralleled the course TA, although a slight delay in NA production was seen in some animals. The increase of NA coincided with the drop in viral load. Results from this work further support that PMWS-affected pigs show an impaired humoral immune response and, particularly, an inefficient NA response against PCV2.     

Torque teno sus virus 1 and 2 viral loads in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS) affected pigs

Torque teno viruses (TTV) are small, non-enveloped viruses with a circular single-stranded DNA genome, which are considered non-pathogenic. However, TTVs have been eventually linked to human diseases. TTVs infecting pigs, Torque teno sus virus 1 (TTSuV1) and 2 (TTSuV2), have been recently associated to porcine circovirus diseases (PCVD). To get more insights into such potential disease association, the aim of this study was to quantify TTSuV1 and TTSuV2 viral loads in serum of pigs affected by two PCVDs, postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS). Such study was carried out by means of a newly developed real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) method. Both TTSuVs were highly prevalent among studied pigs. TTSuV2 viral loads were significantly higher in PMWS affected animals, further supporting the previously suggested association between TTSuV2 and PMWS. On the contrary, TTSuV1 prevalence and loads were not related with the studied PCVDs.     

猪圆环病毒感染与断奶仔猪多系统衰竭综合征

1974年 ,德国学者 Tischer等 [1 ] 从 PK- 15 (ATCCCCL31)细胞的污染病毒中检出一种形态学上与细小核糖核酸病毒相似的小球形病毒和乳多泡病毒样病毒粒子 ,并于1982年将其命名为猪圆环病毒 (porcine circovirus,PCV) [2 ] 。目前已知 PCV有 PCV- 1和 PCV- 2 2个血清型。PCV- 1来源于 PK- 15细胞 ,为非致病性 PCV(nonpathogenic PCV,np PCV ) [3 ] ;PCV- 2与断奶仔猪多系统衰竭综合征(postweaning m ultisystem ic wasting syndrom e,PMWS)密切相关 ,又称 PMWS相关 PCV[3 ] (PMWS- associated PCV,pmws- PCV)。 PM…     

Changes in peripheral blood leukocyte populations in pigs with natural postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)

The objective of the present study was to analyze, by flow cytometry, changes in PBMC subsets in pigs having postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), a new condition associated to porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection. Thirteen acutely PMWS affected pigs were selected from a farm seronegative to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and to Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV); 11 clinically healthy pigs were selected from a high health farm with no history of PMWS and free of the major swine pathogens, and used as a control group. All pigs were necropsied, and tissue samples were fixed in formalin; blood with EDTA anticoagulant was used to perform the flow cytometric analysis. PBMC were incubated with mAb against porcine CD3, CD4, CD8, CD25, CD45, IgM, SWC3, and SLA-Class II. Flow cytometric analysis showed substantial changes in leukocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of PMWS-affected pigs, which were characterized by an increase of monocytes, a reduction of T (mainly CD4(+)) and B-lymphocytes, and the presence of low-density immature granulocytes. Altogether, these changes would suggest an inability of acutely PMWS-affected pigs to mount an effective immune response.