Abundant Harvest of New Knowledge on PCV2 Biology

Dr Catherine Charreyre outlined the key lessons from the different work packages on porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) by the PCVD Consortium at the recent PCVD Forum 2009 organised in Athens, Greece, writes Jackie Linden, editor of ThePigSite.

27 November 2009

3 minute read

Among the impressive quantity of knowledge gained by the European research programme under the banner, PCVD Consortium, has been the identification of the genes, MyRIP and Crumb that seem to be associated with susceptibility or resistance to post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)/ porcine circovirus disease (PCVD), according to Dr Charreyre.

The protein coded by MyRIP plays a role in the intracellular traffic of vesicles (endosomes).

Also, PCV is a 'slow replicator' as it takes 36 hours to replicate in the cell. It enters the pig by the mucosal and the intestinal epithelium. PCV2 accumulates in dendritic cells and macrophages, where the massive storage causes pathogenic dysfunctions.

Furthermore, no unequivocal link could be identified between PCV2 infection and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS).

PCV2 infection in the uterus does not produce immunotolerance. And no 'Agent X' has yet been identified despite intensive tracking by various methods in five countries.

"It does not mean that there is none but no-one has been able to find it," Dr Charreyre remarked.

The Consortium researchers agreed that the gold standard for serology remains the IPMA test. ELISA kits are to be used as tests "but they should be validated against the gold standard before being used in the field," she stressed.

She explained that most of these results are disseminated on the web site of the PCVD Consortium (click here). Information has also been spread through a SSA extension towards Central and Eastern Europe with four workshops held in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia and Estonia, and there was a highly successful exchange of scientists between laboratories.

"The five years research programme has demonstrated that EU-funded research can indeed solve problems.

"Different disciplines can successfully work together if they focus on well-defined problems. Europe will face new diseases and we'll have to have solutions.

"Finally, one of the main outcomes is also that young scientists across Europe are enthusiastic, good and ready to face new challenges," said Dr Charreyre.