Search

Background: Influenza A Viruses (IAV) are endemic pathogens of significant concern in humans and multiple keystone livestock species. Widespread morbidity in swine herds negatively impacts animal welfare standards and economic performance whilst human IAV pandemics have emerged from pigs on multiple occasions. To combat the rising prevalence of swine IAV there must be effective control strategies available. Main body: The most basic form of IAV control on swine farms is through good animal husbandry practices and high animal welfare standards. To control inter-herd transmission, biosecurity considerations such as quarantining of pigs and implementing robust health and safety systems for workers help to reduce the likelihood of swine IAV becoming endemic. Closely complementing the physical on-farm practices are IAV surveillance programs. Epidemiological data is critical in understanding regional distribution and variation to assist in determining an appropriate response to outbreaks and understanding the nature of historical swine IAV epidemics and zoonoses. Medical intervention in pigs is restricted to vaccination, a measure fraught with the intrinsic difficulties of mounting an immune response against a highly mutable virus. It is the best available tool for controlling IAV in swine but is far from being a perfect solution due to its unreliable efficacy and association with an enhanced respiratory disease. Because IAV generally has low mortality rates there is a reticence in the uptake of vaccination. Novel genetic technologies could be a complementary strategy for IAV control in pigs that confers broad-acting resistance. Transgenic pigs with IAV resistance are useful as models, however the complexity of these reaching the consumer market limits them to research models. More promising are gene-editing approaches to prevent viral exploitation of host proteins and modern vaccine technologies that surpass those currently available. Conclusion: Using the suite of IAV control measures that are available for pigs effectively we can improve the economic productivity of pig farming whilst improving on-farm animal welfare standards and avoid facing the extensive social and financial costs of a pandemic. Fighting 'Flu in pigs will help mitigate the very real threat of a human pandemic emerging, increase security of the global food system and lead to healthier pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Delivery of G-CSF to pigs via an adenovirus vector induced a sustained increase in circulating neutrophil numbers. • There was a longer mean survival time after Streptococcus suis challenge in pigs treated with G-CSF. • G-CSF may be a useful adjunct to antibiotics for prevention of Streptococcal disease in swine. Abstract The use of immunomodulators is a promising alternative to the use of antibiotics for therapeutic, prophylactic, and metaphylactic use to prevent and combat infectious disease. Previously we demonstrated a replication-defective adenovirus vector that expresses porcine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) elicited a sustained neutrophilia, lasting nearly 3 weeks, which may be beneficial to prevent bacterial diseases during times of peak incidence. In a pilot study using the vectored G-CSF with a Caesarian-derived, colostrum-deprived (CDCD) pig model of Streptococcus suis disease, only 1 of 4 pigs given G-CSF developed disease, while 3 of 4 non-treated pigs developed Streptococcal disease. In a subsequent study using a larger number of pigs, although there was no difference in overall survival, there was a longer mean survival time in G-CSF treated pigs. S. suis infection is more severe in CDCD pigs than conventionally raised pigs, consequently results in the field may be superior to the ones reported in this study. Although there were positive effects from the use of G-CSF in this study, further research is needed to determine if improved clinical outcomes could be achieved under field conditions and whether the use of G-CSF in pigs to induce a sustained increase in circulating neutrophil numbers may be useful as an adjunct to antibiotics to diminish the severity of Streptococcal disease, especially during times of stress and pathogen exposure such as post-weaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Understanding between-farm movement patterns is an essential component in developing effective surveillance and control programs in livestock populations. Quantitative knowledge on movement patterns is particularly important for the commercial swine industry, in which large numbers of pigs are frequently moved between farms. Here, we described the annual movement patterns between swine farms in three production systems of the United States and identified farms that may be targeted to increase the efficacy of infectious disease control strategies. Research results revealed a high amount of variability in movement patterns across production systems, indicating that quantities captured from one production system and applied to another may lead to invalid estimations of disease spread. Furthermore, we showed that targeting farms based on their mean infection potential, a metric that captured the temporal sequence of movements, substantially reduced the potential for transmission of an infectious pathogen in the contact network and performed consistently well across production systems. Specifically, we found that by targeting farms based on their mean infection potential, we could reduce the potential spread of an infectious pathogen by 80% when removing approximately 25% of farms in each of the production systems. Whereas other metrics, such as degree, required 26–35% of farms to be removed in two of the production systems to reach the same outcome; this outcome was not achievable in one of the production systems. Our results demonstrate the importance of fine-scale temporal movement data and the need for in-depth understanding of the contact structure in developing more efficient disease surveillance and response strategies in swine production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosecurity is defined as the implementation of measures that reduce the risk of disease agents being introduced and/or spread. For pig production, several of these measures are routinely implemented (e.g. cleaning, disinfection, segregation). However, air as a potential vector of pathogens has long been disregarded. Filters for incoming and recirculating air were installed into an already existing ventilation plant at a fattening piggery (3,840 pigs at maximum) in Saxony, Germany. Over a period of three consecutive fattening periods, we evaluated various parameters including air quality indices, environmental and operating parameters, and pig performance. Animal data regarding respiratory diseases, presence of antibodies against influenza A viruses, PRRSV, and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and lung health score at slaughter were recorded, additionally. There were no significant differences (p = 0.824) in total bacterial counts between barns with and without air filtration. Recirculating air filtration resulted in the lowest total dust concentration (0.12 mg/m3) and lung health was best in animals from the barn equipped with recirculating air filtration modules. However, there was no difference in animal performance. Antibodies against all above mentioned pathogens were detected but mostly animals were already antibody-positive at re-stocking. We demonstrated that supply air filtration as well as recirculating air filtration technique can easily be implemented in an already existing ventilation system and that recirculating air filtration resulted in enhanced lung health compared to supply air-filtered and non-filtered barns. A more prominent effect might have been obtained in a breeding facility because of the longer life span of sows and a higher biosecurity level with air filtration as an add-on measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome ( PRRS) has become a major swine disease worldwide. Relevant management strategies and diagnostic assays are of importance for PRRS virus (PRRSV) control. The objective of this study was to determine the use of oral fluids for PRRSV monitoring in endemically PRRSV- infected herds. PRRSV RNA and PRRSV- specific antibodies were monitored using oral fluid samples and serum samples in two conventional swine farms in Thailand ('Farm A', a one-site conventional system farm, and 'Farm B', a one-site P0-P1 segregation system farm) during farrowing to nursery periods. Both PRRSV RNA and PRRSV antibodies were detected from 3 to 9 weeks of age in both sample types. Pen-based oral fluid samples were detected positive over 71% when the prevalence of serum PRRSV-positive pigs in the pens was at least 40%. Mean S/P ratios of the oral fluid samples showed significantly higher levels but had similar pattern to the seroprofile of the blood samples. Increased levels of PRRSV antibodies were detected in all groups at 5 to 9 weeks of age. Overall, the positive correlation of both sample types was 0.65 (p < 0. 001). It should be noted that Farm B had higher production losses in the farrowing and nursery units, concurrently, with higher levels of PRRSV load in both sample types. Oral fluid testing provides convenient and economical approach, better welfare, and satisfied performance to determine PRRS status, especially during nursery period, when there is moderate to high PRRSV prevalence. These objectives could be better achieved and benefit practitioners by using oral fluid testing together with other measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article summarizes our own research and the publications on the importance of hygiene sanitary and technological factors to ensure disease prevention, to increase the resistance and productivity of pigs. The emphasis has been done not on the treatment but on the prevention of swine diseases due to the optimization of the standards of hygienic parameters, tolerated permissible concentrations of substances in the environment, their influence not only on the processes of thermoregulation in the body and body adaptation but also to the increase in the resistance of the body to infectious agents. Due to non-observance of the rules of hygiene and sanitation, feeding and drinking regimes in the pig-breeding enterprises, the annual death of animals exceeds 25%, the diseases of the digestive tract are registered in 40-50%, respiratory diseases - in 25-30% of cases. Growth retardation is registered in the young animals, the durability does not exceed 83.2-85.6%. High indoor air humidity should be considered as a factor of importance in the etiopathogenesis of respiratory diseases and temperature changes - as a factor to prevent hyperthermia and hypoglycemia. The increase in the efficiency of the work in pig-breeding complexes can be achieved: - firstly, due to the decrease in the influence of environmental factors having the negative impact on the development of swine immunity; secondly, due to the elimination of negatively acting agents from the external environment and the strengthening of factors that increase the resistance of the body; thirdly, due to the development of nonspecific immunostimulants and their rational use in the pig - breeding practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is an infectious disease that leads to high financial and production losses in the global swine industry. The pathogenesis of this disease is dependent on a multitude of factors, and its control remains problematic. The immune system generally defends against infectious diseases, especially dendritic cells (DCs), which play a crucial role in the activation of the immune response after viral infections. However, the understanding of the immune response and the genetic impact on the immune response to PRRS virus (PRRSV) remains incomplete. In light of this, we investigated the regulation of the host immune response to PRRSV in porcine lung DCs using RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq). Lung DCs from two different pig breeds (Pietrain and Duroc) were collected before (0 hours) and during various periods of infection (3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 hours post infection (hpi)). RNA-Seq analysis revealed a total of 20,396 predicted porcine genes, which included breed-specific differentially expressed immune genes. Pietrain and Duroc infected lung DCs showed opposite gene expression courses during the first time points post infection. Duroc lung DCs reacted more strongly and distinctly than Pietrain lung DCs during these periods (3, 6, 9, 12 hpi). Additionally, cluster analysis revealed time-dependent co-expressed groups of genes that were involved in immune-relevant pathways. Key clusters and pathways were identified, which help to explain the biological and functional background of lung DCs post PRRSV infection and suggest IL-1β1 as an important candidate gene. RNA-Seq was also used to characterize the viral replication of PRRSV for each breed. PRRSV was able to infect and to replicate differently in lung DCs between the two mentioned breeds. These results could be useful in investigations on immunity traits in pig breeding and enhancing the health of pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a naturally occurring, fatal neurodegenerative disease of cervids. The potential for swine to serve as hosts for the agent of CWD is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the susceptibility of swine to the CWD agent following experimental oral or intracranial inoculation. Crossbred piglets were assigned to three groups, intracranially inoculated (n=20), orally inoculated (n=19), and noninoculated (n=9). At approximately the age at which commercial pigs reach market weight, half of the pigs in each group were culled ("market weight" groups). The remaining pigs ("aged" groups) were allowed to incubate for up to 73 months postinoculation (mpi). Tissues collected at necropsy were examined for disease-associated prion protein (PrPSc) by Western blotting (WB), antigen capture enzyme immunoassay (EIA), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in vitro real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC). Brain samples from selected pigs were also bioassayed in mice expressing porcine prion protein. Four intracranially inoculated aged pigs and one orally inoculated aged pig were positive by EIA, IHC, and/or WB. By RT-QuIC, PrPSc was detected in lymphoid and/or brain tissue from one or more pigs in each inoculated group. The bioassay was positive in four out of five pigs assayed. This study demonstrates that pigs can support low-level amplification of CWD prions, although the species barrier to CWD infection is relatively high. However, detection of infectivity in orally inoculated pigs with a mouse bioassay raises the possibility that naturally exposed pigs could act as a reservoir of CWD infectivity. IMPORTANCE We challenged domestic swine with the chronic wasting disease agent by inoculation directly into the brain (intracranially) or by oral gavage (orally). Disease-associated prion protein (PrPSc) was detected in brain and lymphoid tissues from intracranially and orally inoculated pigs as early as 8 months of age (6 months postinoculation). Only one pig developed clinical neurologic signs suggestive of prion disease. The amount of PrPSc in the brains and lymphoid tissues of positive pigs was small, especially in orally inoculated pigs. Regardless, positive results obtained with orally inoculated pigs suggest that it may be possible for swine to serve as a reservoir for prion disease under natural conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Live pig trade patterns, drivers and characteristics, particularly in backyard predominant systems, remain largely unexplored despite their important contribution to the spread of infectious diseases in the swine industry. A better understanding of the pig trade dynamics can inform the implementation of risk-based and more cost-effective prevention and control programs for swine diseases. In this study, a semi-structured questionnaire elaborated by FAO and implemented to 487 farmers was used to collect data regarding basic characteristics about pig demographics and live-pig trade among villages in the country of Georgia, where very scarce information is available. Social network analysis and exponential random graph models were used to better understand the structure, contact patterns and main drivers for pig trade in the country. Results indicate relatively infrequent (a total of 599 shipments in one year) and geographically localized (median Euclidean distance between shipments = 6.08 km; IQR = 0–13.88 km) pig movements in the studied regions. The main factors contributing to live-pig trade movements among villages were being from the same region (i.e., local trade), usage of a middleman or a live animal market to trade live pigs by at least one farmer in the village, and having a large number of pig farmers in the village. The identified villages’ characteristics and structural network properties could be used to inform the design of more cost-effective surveillance systems in a country which pig industry was recently devastated by African swine fever epidemics and where backyard production systems are predominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The control of Salmonella enterica in pig production is necessary for both public and animal health. The persistent and frequently asymptomatic nature of porcine Salmonella infection and the organism's abilities to colonize other animal species and to survive in the environment mean that effective control generally requires multiple measures. Vaccination is one such measure, and the present review considers its role and its future, drawing on studies in pigs from the 1950s to the present day. Once established in the body as an intracellular infectious agent, Salmonella can evade humoral immunity, which goes some way to explaining the often disappointing performance of inactivated Salmonella vaccines. More recent approaches, using mucosal presentation of antigens, live vaccines and adjuvants to enhance cell-mediated immunity, have met with more success. Vaccination strategies that involve stimulating both passive immunity from the dam plus active immunity in offspring appear to be most efficacious, although either approach alone can yield significant control of Salmonella. Problems that remain include relatively poor control of Salmonella serovars that are dissimilar to the vaccine antigen mix, and difficulties in measuring and predicting the performance of candidate vaccines in ways that are highly relevant to their likely use in commercial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the addition of the probiotic "Primix Forsil" and the adsorbent "Vitacorm REO" into the feed for young pigs, using different schemes based on the morphological and biochemical parameters of the animal's blood. The scientific and economic experiment took place at the SE "Moldsiungibrid". Forty hybrid gilts of Landrace x Pietrain breed were used as they were separated into 4 groups on the principle of analogy (10 animals in each group). The gilts in the control group were fed the basic ration, while the pigs in the experimental groups were fed a feed supplemented with different substances, namely: the probiotic "Primix Forsil" (0.5 kg/t) - for the pigs in the first group, the adsorbent "Vitacorm REO" (4.0 kg/t) - for the pigs in the second group, and the probiotic "Primix Forsil" and "Vitacorm REO" in equal proportions - for the pigs in the third group. The feed was balanced according to the feeding norms, and modified in compliance with the animals' age and body weight. The obtained results demonstrated that, the supplementation of the fodders for pigs with the adsorbent "Vitacorm REO" both separately or in combination with the probiotic "Primix Forsil", had a good influence on the general level of blood protein. At the end of the experiment, the albumin level as well as that of the AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase) in the blood of the pigs in the experimental groups were higher in comparison with that in the pigs in the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge about the dynamics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in pigs lacks detail at the level of individual animal. The aim of our study was therefore to determine the colonisation status of MRSA in individual pigs from birth to slaughter in order to gain a better understanding of substantial factors involved in transmission. Two farrow-to-finish and two grow-to-finish herds were included in the study. A total of 1728 nasal swabs from 390 pigs and 592 environmental wipes were collected at 11 different time points. Intermittent colonisation throughout the entire production cycle was conspicuous in the tracking of MRSA in individual pigs. Almost all pigs from a MRSA-positive herd changed MRSA status several times, which implies that pigs are transiently rather than permanently colonised. We highly recommend the definition of MRSA status at herd level rather that at the level of the individual pig when considering prevention measures against MRSA. Therefore, to avoid the further spread of MRSA in countries with moderate prevalence, such as in Switzerland, defining farms as MRSA positive or MRSA negative and allowing the trade of pigs only within herds of the same status seems feasible. This will also be important for combating the further dissemination of livestock-associated (LA)-MRSA into healthcare facilities and the community via humans who have close contact with animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the influence of porcine circovirus type 2 vaccination (PCV-2) on the probability and severity of pneumonia, postmortem findings of 247,505 pigs slaughtered between 2008 and 2011 were analysed by applying a cumulative link mixed model. Three major effects could be observed: (1) PCV-2 vaccination significantly (P<0.01) reduced the odds (coefficient: -0.05) of postmortem findings of mild, moderate and severe pneumonia for vaccinated pigs. (2) Pigs from fattening farms were less likely (coefficient: -0.44; P<0.05) to exhibit signs of pneumonia at slaughter than pigs from farrow-to-finish farms. (3) When vaccinated, the odds of detecting postmortem signs showed an even more pronounced reduction (coefficient: -0.19; P<0.001) for pigs from fattening farms. Combining PCV-2 vaccination, farm type and interaction effects between these two factors, a pig vaccinated against PCV-2 from a fattening farm had only half the chance (OR 0.51) of pneumonia being detected at postmortem than a non-vaccinated pig from a farrow-to-finish farm. The study demonstrates the benefit of a vaccination programme against PCV-2 as an important tool to reduce the risk of postmortem pneumonia findings and the severity of pneumonia in pigs at slaughter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes significant reproductive losses in the sow herd and respiratory disease in growing pigs. The virus belongs to the family Arteriviridae and there are two major genotypes. Type 1 is represented by Lelystad virus, the European prototype virus, and Type 2 is represented by the North American prototype virus, VR-2332. Depending on husbandry, immune status of the herd, and virulence of the isolate, the severity of disease and magnitude of economic loss can be variable. Vaccine use is not always successful indicating a lack of cross-protection between vaccine strains and circulating wild-type viruses. To date, there is no clear method to demonstrate if a vaccine confers protection against a specific isolate except for empirical animal studies. In 2006, a new lineage of Type 2 PRRSV emerged in Chinese swine herds that were suffering dramatic losses resulting in those viruses being described as “Highly Pathogenic PRRSV” (HP-PRRSV). Experimental reproduction of severe disease with HP-PRRSV isolates and virus derived from HP-PRRSV clones demonstrated the causal role of this virus. Recently, partial heterologous protection has been reported for Type 1 and Type 2 attenuated PRRSV vaccines against challenge by different Chinese HP-PRRSV isolates providing some hope for reducing economic loss. This paper reports the efficacy of a commercially available Type 2 attenuated vaccine in young pigs against heterologous challenge with a Chinese and Vietnamese HP-PRRSV isolate. When compared to unvaccinated pigs, vaccination decreased the length of viremia and viral titer, diminished the time of high fever and reduced macroscopic lung scores following homologous and heterologous PRRSV challenge. These results demonstrate the potential use of vaccine as an aid in the control of HP-PRRSV outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a comparative study of the disease trends observed in the Ontario Swine Veterinary-based Surveillance System (OSVS). It states that the submission data reported to the OSVS were compared to the Animal Health Laboratory. It mentions that the need for disease surveillance program in swine in Ontario is to prevent the swine disease associated with a triple-reassortant human-avian-swine influenza H3N2 virus.

Purpose: Porcine proliferative enteropathy (PPE) is known as one of the most important risk factors causing economic losses in swine industry worldwide. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a commercial oral attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine (Enterisol Ileitis) against PPE under a commercial pig farm condition in Korea. Materials and Methods: Thirty two-day-old 672 piglets were randomly allocated into vaccinated and control groups. All piglets in the vaccinated group were inoculated with a commercial attenuated L. intracellularis vaccine as following the manufacturer's instruction. Body weights of all pigs in both groups were measured on the vaccination day and 6, 14, and 20 weeks post vaccination and an average daily weight gain (ADWG) was calculated. Health status was observed biweekly during the whole trial. Results: The vaccinated group showed significantly higher body weight (p < 0.05) and ADWG (p < 0.05) than those of the control group. The vaccinated group had significantly reduced impairments in activity, growth, defecation frequency, and stool hardness (p <0.05). Additional health benefits and improved weight gain by the vaccination produced a 4.2:1 return of investment, and the higher gross margin was $4.80 per pig. Conclusion: Our finding suggests that the L. intracellularis vaccine program has effects on the substantial health and economic benefits in the Korean swine industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) causes decreased reproductive performance in breeding animals and increased respiratory problems in growing animals, which result in significant economic losses in the swine industry. Vaccination has generally not been effective in the prevention of PRRS, partially because of the rapid mutation rate and evolution of the virus. The objective of the current study was to discover the genetic basis of host resistance or susceptibility to the PRRS virus through a genome-wide association study using data from the PRRS Host Genetics Consortium PRRS-CAP project. Three groups of approximately 190 commercial crossbred pigs from 1 breeding company were infected with PRRS virus between 18 and 28 d of age. Blood samples and BW were collected up to 42 d post infection (DPI). Pigs were genotyped with the Illumina Porcine 60k Beadchip. Whole-genome analysis focused on viremia at each day blood was collected and BW gains from 0 to 21 DPI (WG21) or 42 DPI (WG42). Viral load (VL) was quantified as area under the curve from 0 to 21 DPI. Heritabilities for WG42 and VL were moderate at 0.30 and litter accounted for an additional 14% of phenotypic variation. Genomic regions associated with VL were found on chromosomes 4 and X and on 1,4, 7, and 17 for WG42. The 1-Mb region identified on chromosome 4 influenced both WG and VL, exhibited strong linkage disequilibrium, and explained 15.7% of the genetic variance for VL and 11.2% for WG42. Despite a genetic correlation of-0.46 between VL and WG42, genomic EBV for this region were favorably and nearly perfectly correlated. The favorable allele for the most significant SNP in this region had a frequency of 0.16 and estimated allele substitution effects were significant (P < 0.01) for each group when the SNP was fitted as a fixed covariate in a model that included random polygenic effects with overall estimates of-4.1 units for VL (phenotypic SD = 6.9) and 2.0 kg (phenotypic SD = 3 kg) for WG42. Candidate genes in this region on SSC4 include the interferon induced guanylate-binding protein gene family. In conclusion, host response to experimental PRRS virus challenge has a strong genetic component, and a QTL on chromosome 4 explains a substantial proportion of the genetic variance in the studied population. These results could have a major impact in the swine industry by enabling marker-assisted selection to reduce the impact of PRRS but need to be validated in additional populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus suis serotype 2 ( S. suis 2 or SS2) is the causative agent of several diseases in both pigs and humans. 6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) is a cell surface protein in SS2. In this study, the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of recombinant 6PGD (r6PGD) from SS2 was evaluated in piglets. Immunization with an r6PGD-containing adjuvant induced a vigorous immunoglobulin G (IgG) response, with the titer of IgG2 being higher than that of IgG1. Immunization of piglets with r6PGD yielded 50% survival upon an intravenous challenge with a lethal dose of SS2. Piglets immunized with the r6PDG vaccine were better protected than those immunized with the adjuvant control. The clinical signs and histopathological changes in the piglets were recorded. Collectively, these results suggest that r6PGD can confer partial protection against SS2 infection and could be useful for the development of subunit vaccines against SS2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses efforts of Alejandro "Alex" Ramirez, president of American Association of Swine Practitioners, in improving the health and welfare of the pig. It mentions that the association is supporting veterinarians in practice through guidance on decisions that affect the health and care of pigs. It also reveals challenges in dealing with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome.

The author comments on a study that investigates the advantages of the porcine circovirus type two (PCV-2) vaccination of pigs in Great Britain. The author states that the methods used by researchers in assessing the effectiveness of PCV-2 vaccination in the prevention of PCV-2 infections in pigs. Moreover, he said that research is commendable because it reduced the PCV-2 diseases in pigs.

Se informa sobre la aprobación por parte de la Comisión Europea de su co-participación financiera en varios programas de control y vigilancia de enfermedades animales y zoonosis para el año 2009. Los programas aprobados incluyen un programa para controlar la peste clásica y la peste porcina africana y un programa para erradicar la enfermedad de Aujeszky.

The article discusses the primary causes of lactation anoestrus in sows and its treatment including multi-suckling which involves three sows and their litters housed together and sow-piglet separation involves removing sows from their litters for 6 hours.