PMWS: experimental model and co-infections

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is now recognised as the causal agent of porcine multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), an economically important wasting disease of young pigs [J. Vet. Diagn. Invest. 12 (2000) 3]. Gross lesions of PMWS include generalised lymphadenopathy, hepatitis, nephritis and pneumonia and typical histological lesions include lymphocytic depletion and multinucleated giant cell formation in lymph nodes, degeneration and necrosis of hepatocytes, and multifocal lymphohistocytic interstitial pneumonia. This communication will review the results of experimental infections of gnotobiotic (GN), colostrum-deprived (CD) and colostrum-fed (CF) pigs within our group, and elsewhere, with PCV2 and the conclusions that can be drawn from this work.