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The objectives of this paper are to explain the legal framework within which the nuclear industry and the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) operate; clarify the basis from which the NII assesses civil structures; reinforce the approach the NII expects the nuclear industry to follow to demonstrate that its structures are safe enough; and to argue that what is sought is not 'overdesign' but adequate design against clearly identified safety functional requirements, using appropriate design standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snatch farrowed, colostrum deprived piglets were inoculated with different combinations of porcine circovirus 2, porcine parvovirus and Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae candidate vaccines. 10 piglets were mock-vaccinated. Following virus challenge with a combined porcine circovirus 2/porcine parvovirus inoculum, all animals were monitored and samples taken for serology, immunohistochemistry and qPCR. At 24 dpc all non-vaccinated animals remaining were exhibiting signs of post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome which was confirmed by laboratory analysis. Details of the study, analysis of samples and performance of the candidate vaccines are described., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study we detail the detection and genetic analysis of a novel porcine boca-like virus (PBo-likeV) in archival sera and tissue samples from pigs from farms in Great Britain. We also investigate the distribution of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) genotypes and Torque teno sus virus (TTSuV) genogroups 1 and 2 in combination with this novel PBo-likeV. PBo-likeV was detected in over 70% of all tissues investigated. Over 24% of all tissues recovered from PMWS-affected animals had all viruses present and 25% of tissues recovered from non-PMWS-affected pigs were positive for all 4 viruses., (Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Options for the storage and disposal of animal carcasses are extremely limited in the EU after the introduction of the EU Animal By-products Regulations (ABPR; EC/1774/2002), leading to animosity within the livestock sector and the call for alternative methods to be validated. Novel storage technologies such as bioreduction may be approved under the ABPR provided that they can be shown to prevent pathogen proliferation. We studied the survival of Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella spp., E. coli O157 and porcine parvovirus in bioreduction vessels containing sheep carcasses for approximately 4 months. The vessels were operated under two different scenarios: (A) where the water within was aerated and heated to 40 °C, and (B) with no aeration or heating, to simulate vessel failure. Microbial analysis verified that pathogens were contained within the bioreduction vessel and indeed reduced in numbers with time under both scenarios. This study shows that bioreduction can provide an effective and safe on-farm storage system for livestock carcasses prior to ultimate disposal. The findings support a review of the current regulatory framework so that bioreduction is considered for approval for industry use within the EU.

We report the isolation in cell cultures of two novel bocavirus species in pigs from farms in Northern Ireland with clinical postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). We have designated the isolates as porcine bocavirus-3 (PBoV3) and porcine bocavirus-4 (PBoV4). To date 5082 and 4125 bps of PBoV3 and PBoV4 have been sequenced, respectively. PBoV3 and PBoV4 show nucleotide homology to other known bocaviruses in swine and other organisms. Open reading frame (ORF) analysis has shown that these viruses have a third small ORF, equivalent to the NP1 ORF that distinguishes the bocaviruses from other parvoviruses. A panel of porcine field sera was screened by indirect immunofluorescence against both viruses. Of the 369 samples analysed, 32 (8.7%) and 35 (9.5%) sera were seropositive for PBoV3 and PBoV4 respectively, thus providing serological evidence of the exposure of swine in the field to bocavirus-like viruses. To date, the clinico-pathological significance of these novel swine bocaviruses, as primary pathogens or as immunosuppresive triggers for other infectious agents, is undetermined., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is now recognized as the essential infectious component of porcine postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). PMWS was first recognized in high-status, specific pathogen-free pigs in Canada in 1991 and is now an economically important disease that affects the swine industry around the world. Recently, reports of genomic studies on PCV2 viruses indicated that 2 distinctive genogroups of PCV2 exist.4,10 This report involves the results of a study on the distribution of predominant PCV2 genogroups recovered from samples taken from PMWS-affected and PMWS-nonaffected farms on the island of Ireland over a 9-year period and the results of a study on PCV2 genogroup recovery from fecal samples taken from a farm in Northern Ireland from 2003 to 2005 that was first diagnosed as PMWS positive in August 2005. The results indicate that, although at least 2 distinct genogroups of PCV2 have been circulating on pig farms on the island of Ireland, there does not appear to be a direct relationship between infection with these different genogroups of PCV2 and the development of PMWS.

Immunoreactive T lymphocyte epitopes within the ORF1, ORF2, and ORF 3 products of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) were mapped. For this, overlapping linear 20-mer peptides were synthesized and tested for their ability to induce T lymphocyte proliferation in porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from experimentally PCV2-infected pigs. After a preliminary screening of 31 (ORF1), 23 (ORF2), and 10 (ORF3) peptides using PBMCs from 4 PCV2-infected pigs, none of the peptides appeared to be immunoreactive (stimulation index [SI] : 2) in all four pigs. Only 14 peptides appeared to be immunoreactive in 3 of the 4 pigs. These peptides were designated as immunodominant in the preliminary screening and selected for further analysis. The immunodominant peptides were resynthesized and purified by high-performance liquid chromatography and tested for their ability to induce T lymphocyte proliferation in PBMCs from another three PCV2-infected pigs. None of the immunodominant peptides appeared to be immunoreactive in all three pigs of the second screening. Only three peptides appeared to be immunoreactive in two of three pigs, two encoded by PCV2 ORF1 (amino acid residues 81-100 and 201-220) and one encoded by PCV2 ORF3 (amino acid residues 31-50), and were therefore considered to be immunodominant in both screenings. Although peptides encoded by ORF2 appeared to show the highest immunoreactivity in some pigs, none of these peptides displayed immunodominance in both screenings. In summary, the present study indicates that the T lymphocyte responses to PCV2 are primarily directed toward epitopes of the nonstructural proteins of ORF1 and ORF3.

A panel of 20 porcine sera was distributed to 5 laboratories across Europe and Canada. Each center was requested to test the sera for the presence of porcine circovirus type 2 antibodies using the routine assays, indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and indirect immunoperoxidase monolayer assay (IPMA), and to determine the titer of each serum. Results from all centers were then compiled and correlated. They demonstrate a wide variation in the titers obtained between laboratories. These differences were dependent on the assay used and the choice of fixative. In general, IPMA gave higher titers than did IFA, and paraformaldehyde gave higher titers than did acetone or ethyl alcohol. This report highlights the need for standardized procedures and biologicals for this virus.

In recent years, porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2)-associated postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) has been reported worldwide. However, to date, PMWS has not been reported in Sweden despite the demonstration of serum antibodies to a PCV2-like virus in Swedish pigs. This communication reports the experimental reproduction of clinical PMWS after inoculation of colostrum-deprived (CD) pigs, derived from a Northern Ireland herd, with an isolate of PCV2 virus recovered from a clinically normal Swedish pig that was necropsied in 1993. The clinical disease and histological lesions observed in CD pigs inoculated with this virus were indistinguishable from those observed in previous studies on CD pigs inoculated with a PCV2 virus isolate recovered from pigs with PMWS. These results highlight the disease potential of PCV2 isolated from regions apparently free of PMWS and suggest that the status of the host and its environment is an important factor in the development of clinical PMWS.

We report the development of a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) for the detection of antibodies to porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), the agent associated with the recently described postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome in pigs. At present, no method has been published describing a c-ELISA for the detection of antibodies to PCV2, and currently employed tests are impractical for use in some laboratories. The assay described here uses a cell culture isolate of porcine circovirus type 2 as antigen and a PCV2-specific monoclonal antibody as the competing reagent. Evaluation of the ELISA was performed by comparison with results obtained using an indirect immunofluorescent test on 484 sera from pig herds in the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and the USA and serial bleeds from pigs experimentally infected with porcine circoviruses. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA were determined as 99.58% and 97.14%, respectively, at 2 standard deviations (SD) from the mean or 95.81% and 100% at 3 SD from the mean. Using this ELISA, a serologic survey of 461 sera collected from commercial pig herds in Northern Ireland between 1973 and 1999 was undertaken. Analysis of the results of this survey demonstrated that the number of ELISA-positive sera detected in an individual year during this period ranged from 55% to 100%. This c-ELISA has applications for large-scale rapid diagnosis of PCV2 infection in pig populations worldwide and for immunoscreening of sera from other species for antibodies to PCV2.

The sequential tissue distribution of virus was investigated using virus isolation and immunofluorescence tests in 1-day-old piglets inoculated with porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) and/or porcine parvovirus (PPV). Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes were seen in the pig inoculated with PCV2 alone and killed at 26 days post-inoculation (PI). One of the pigs inoculated with PCV2 and PPV and killed at 21 days PI had an enlarged liver. The pig killed at 26 days PI in this group had enlarged liver, kidneys and heart. Histopathological changes were seen in lymphoid tissues of the pigs inoculated with PCV2 alone and killed at 14 and 26 days PI. Similar, but more severe, lesions were observed in the pigs infected with PCV2 and PPV and killed from 10 days PI onwards. Histological lesions of nephritis, pneumonia and hepatitis were also apparent in these animals. Mild nephritis was also seen in the pigs infected with PPV alone and killed at 14 and 26 days PI. Moderate amounts of PPV antigen were detected in tissues from the pigs inoculated with PPV alone and killed at 14 days PI. Low levels of PCV antigen were detected, mainly in lymphoid tissues, in the pigs inoculated with PCV alone and killed at 14 days PI. Low to moderate amounts of PCV antigen were detected in a wider range of tissues in the pig in this group killed at 26 days PI. In the pigs inoculated with both viruses, PPV antigen was detected in tissues of pigs killed from 3 to 26 days PI with maximal amounts detected between 6 and 14 days PI. PCV2 antigen was detected in low to moderate amounts in the tissues of pigs killed at 14 days PI. Large amounts of PCV2 antigen were detected in most of the tissues from pigs in this group killed between 17 and 26 days PI. Virus isolation results for PCV2 generally correlated well with the results for immunofluorescent staining. PPV was isolated from almost all tissues from pigs inoculated with PCV2 and PPV, a much higher incidence of positive tissues than observed for immunofluorescent staining.