Josete Garcia Bersano

Detection of porcine parvovirus DNA by the polymerase chain reaction assay using primers to the highly conserved nonstructural protein gene, NS-1

Porcine parvovirus (PPV) infection is associated with reproductive losses in swine and its causative agent, the PPV, has been isolated worldwide. Serological surveys and virus isolation studies throughout Brazil confirm the occurrence of PPV infection in this country. The most common methods to detect PPV infection are fluorescent antibody staining of fetal tissues, hemagglutination assay of tissue extracts and virus isolation from fetal tissues. Non-specificity and low sensitivity are the major drawbacks of these techniques. The development of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested-PCR assays for PPV DNA detection from infected cell lines and clinical samples is described. The primers were designed to a highly conserved region of the PPV genome which codes for the non-structural protein, NS-1. Results showed that PCR could detect PPV in titres at least 10(6) higher than the hemagglutination assay. The PCR and nested-PCR assays were used to detect successfully PPV DNA in clinical samples.

Antibodies against pseudorabies virus in feral swine in southeast Brazil

Soros de 358 javalis (Sus scrofa), criados em sistema de semiconfinamento em propriedades do estado de Sao Paulo, foram coletados entre 1998 e 2000 e testados para anticorpos contra o virus da doenca de Aujeszky (VDA), pela tecnica de soroneutralizacao (SN) e ensaio imunoenzimatico (ELISA). Foram detectados animais soropositivos em tres das sete propriedades analisadas. Do total de javalis testados, 30,7% apresentaram anticorpos neutralizantes contra o VDA, com variacao de 25,2% a 100% nas propriedades com animais sororreagentes. O ELISA detectou menor numero de sororeagentes (19,3%), sendo a sensibilidade e a especificidade 57,3% e 97,6%, respectivamente, e a correlacao observada de 85,2% (P<0,0001). Os resultados mostram que a infeccao pelo virus da doenca de Aujeszky ocorre em criacoes de javalis no estado de Sao Paulo, e compromete o sucesso de um futuro programa de erradicacao da doenca na regiao.

SWINE INFECTIOUS AGENTS IN TAYASSU PECARI AND PECARI TAJACU TISSUE SAMPLES FROM BRAZIL

Abstract Peccaries and pigs, Tayassuidae and Suidae respectively, diverged approximately one million years ago from a common ancestor. Because these families share some pathogens, peccaries can act as reservoirs of infectious pathogens for domestic and wild swine. We evaluated the presence of swine infectious agents in the spleen and lung tissues of white-lipped peccaries (WLP; Tayassu pecari) and collared peccaries (CP; Pecari tajacu) in Brazil. Samples from 10 adult CP and three WLP, which had been hunted by locals or hit by motor vehicles, were obtained from two free-ranging Brazilian populations. The samples were tested by PCR for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Pasteurella multocida, porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2), Suid herpesvirus 1 (SuHV-1), and porcine parvovirus (PPV). Positive samples were sequenced. Both species were negative for PPV and B. bronchiseptica and positive for PCV2 and SuHV-1. The lungs of two animals were positive for M. hyopneumoniae and P. multocida. This report is the first demonstration of PCV2 and SuHV-1 swine viruses and of M. hyopneumoniae and P. multocida bacteria in peccaries. One factor contributing to this detection was access to tissue samples, which is uncommon. The role of these infectious agents in peccaries is unknown and further epidemiologic studies should be performed. This study identified several infectious agents in peccaries and highlighted the importance of the tissue type used to detect pathogens.

Eficácia de vacina inativada contra a doença de Aujeszky: infecção experimental de suínos

Uma vacina experimental contra a doenca de Aujeszky (DA), inativada e adsorvida em adjuvante oleoso, foi testada em relacao a inducao de imunidade, grau de protecao clinica e capacidade de reduzir a infeccao, apos desafio pela via intranasal. Grupos de 6 suinos, com 45 dias de idade, foram vacinados com uma ou duas doses de vacina, pelas vias intramuscular ou subcutânea, sendo mantido um grupo-testemunha, sem vacinacao. Todos os suinos vacinados apresentaram titulos de anticorpos neutralizantes, detectaveis atraves da prova de soroneutralizacao, sendo estatisticamente superiores nos animais que receberam duas doses de vacina. A vacinacao preveniu as manifestacoes clinicas da doenca, apos desafio, principalmente nos animais que receberam duas doses de vacina quando comparado com os que receberam 1 dose. Em todos os animais, vacinados e nao-vacinados, foi possivel a deteccao do virus da doenca de Aujeszky (VDA) nas amigdalas, atraves da tecnica de imunofluorescencia direta. A porcentagem de amigdalas positivas nos suinos vacinados com duas doses foi inferior quando comparada aquela de suinos nao-vacinados, no 2o e 7o dias pos-infeccao. Em suinos vacinados com duas doses de vacina, pela via subcutânea, a taxa de infeccao foi estatisticamente menor que naqueles vacinados com uma dose, pelas vias intramuscular ou subcutânea, e nao-vacinados.

Identification of porcine parvovirus from wild boars by partial sequencing of the VP-2 coding gene.

), all of these based on antibody detection, mainly by ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition tests. In 1994, blood samples were collected from 108 wild hogs from North Carolina and Tennessee (USA) and antibody titers to PPV were found in 15 (14%) samples (New et al., 1994). By 1998, Saliki et al. (1998) tested 120 blood samples from wild swine in Oklahoma, USA, and had found antibody against porcine parvovirus in 17% of them. Later, 20 feral hogs from a newly discovered population from Kansas, USA, were shot and examined. Those hogs were generally healthy, although serological evidence indicated that 70% of the animals were exposed to PPV (Gipson et al., 1999). Antibodies were also detected in 10% of the serum samples from 78 European wild boars harvested during the 1999-2000 hunting season in south-central Spain (Vicente et al., 2002). Serologic evidence of exposure to porcine parvovirus was investigated in 219 wild boars from a commercial farm in Croatia and 41.6% of the samples showed positive results both in ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition test (Roic et al., 2005). Serum samples collected from 178 shot wild boars were tested for the presence of antibodies against PPV by ELISA throughout Slovenia during the hunting season 2003-2004,

Demodex phylloides infection in swine reared in a peri-urban family farm located on the outskirts of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, Brazil.

This paper reports the occurrence of porcine demodicosis caused by the mite Demodex phylloides in hogs reared in a peri-urban family farm located in Francisco Morato, a municipality of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, capital city of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. In a parcel of forty Landrace - Large White cross hogs, approximately four months old, four animals presented severe skin lesions in the form of small nodules over their entire body, especially in the periocular region, snout, lower abdomen and flanks. Two hogs had to be euthanized for animal welfare reasons, which enabled post-mortem examination. Skin scrapings revealed eggs, larvae, nymphs and adults of D. phylloides. Purulent subcutaneous nodules with intense parasitic folliculitis and intense perifollicular inflammatory reaction were present. Enterobacteria and coagulase-positive Staphylococcus spp. were isolated from the skin pustules. Necropsy revealed milk spotted liver, enteritis and enlargement of mesenteric lymph nodes. Protozoa (Eimeria spp. and Balantidium sp.), helminth eggs (Ascaris suum, Trichuris suis and strongyles) and Brachyspira spp. were found in faeces. Staphylococcus spp. and enterobacteria were isolated from internal organs. All remaining hogs were treated with ivermectin at a daily oral dose of 0.45g/kg of feed, during seven days. Fifteen days after treatment, remission of symptoms was observed in the surviving animals with demodicosis; absence of mites was confirmed by skin scraping examinations. The hogs were reared under poor environmental, nutritional and sanitary conditions, resulting in multimorbidity and immunosuppression. Severe clinical porcine demodicosis was triggered when the animals were castrated. Family pig farmers had been suffering economic losses due to the stunted growth of the herd. In addition to that, the lesions found on the skin and in the internal organs would result in condemnation of meat and viscera for human consumption. As part of a Public Policies Project, farm facilities were renovated with governmental aid, while family farmers received training. Good management practices and biosecurity measures were introduced in the herd. Educative policies and financial support were important to guide family pig farmers towards better husbandry practices, allowing them to raise healthy hogs in compliance with market demands.