THE EFFECTS OF VACCINATION AGAINST PORCINE CIRCOVIRUS TYPE 2 ON VIRAEMIA, VIRAL LOAD, MORTALITY AND GROWTH IN A HERD AFFECTED BY POST-WEANING MULTISYSTEMIC WASTING SYNDROME
I. VON RICHTHOFEN, K. ELBERS, A. LISCHEWSKI, N. WOOLFENDEN and W.D. STRACHAN

Abstract
The efficacy of a newly developed vaccine against Porcine Circovirus type 2 (PCV2), the main known causative agent of Post-Weaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS), was assessed in a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled field study in the United Kingdom. A total of 1542 animals were recruited to the study. The vaccine or placebo was administered to two to three-week-old piglets prior to weaning, and vaccinated and placebo-treated pigs were commingled through to slaughter. Weight gain until the middle of finishing was the primary efficacy variable and average daily weight gain (ADWG), frequency of poorly-grown pigs, viraemia, clinical signs, and mortality were also measured. Vaccinated animals showed significantly better results in terms of reduced mortality (10.7 percentage points lower in the vaccinates), weight gain parameters (with an average of 6.8 kg more than the placebo-treated animals at 23 weeks of age), reduced viral load, and reduced prevalence of clinical abnormalities. The superior weight gain, fewer poorly-grown pigs, reduced duration of viraemia and lower mortality rate demonstrated the efficacy of the PCV2 vaccine under commercial management and housing conditions of a pig finishing unit in the United Kingdom.

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