H. Wei and colleagues at the Department of Comparative Pathobiology at Purdue University have studied young pigs infected with both porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2, which is linked to Post-Weaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome, PMWS) and swine influenza virus (SIV). Their paper will be published in the journal, Comparative Medicine, later this year.

They explain that PCV2 and SIV are important pathogens for porcine respiratory disease complex, which is economically significant worldwide but that the pathogenesis of PCV2-SIV co-infection is unknown.

In the Purdue study, the researchers focused on establishing a challenge model for PCV2 to determine whether SIV influences PCV2 replication and increases the severity of PCV2-associated disease.

Cesarean-derived colostrum-deprived pigs were inoculated intratracheally with cell culture medium only (negative control group), PCV2 only, or PCV2 followed one week later with SIV H1N1. Two pigs from each group were necropsied at 12, 21, 28, and 35 days after inoculation.

Co-infection with SIV did not increase the number of PCV2 genomic copies in serum or target tissues or the severity of microscopic lesions associated with PCV2 in lung or lymph node. The antibody titre to PCV2 did not differ significantly between PCV2-SIV- and PCV2-infected groups.

In conclusion, Wei and colleagues say that SIV H1N1 did not influence PCV2 replication in dually infected pigs in this study.

Reference

Wei H., S.D. Lenz, W.G. Van Alstine, G.W. Stevenson, I.M. Langohr and R.M. Pogranichniy. 2010. Infection of cesarean-derived colostrum-deprived pigs with porcine circovirus type 2 and swine influenza virus. Comp Med. 2010;60(1):45-50.

Further Reading

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Find out more information on influenza in pigs by clicking here.

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Find out more information on Post-Weaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS) by clicking here.