This study investigated if parenteral administration of a prototype adjuvanted vaccine against porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) could override maternally derived antibodies and induce acquired immunity in young piglets. Piglets with high levels of maternal PCV2 antibodies at 1 wk of age were randomly grouped into vaccinates and controls on the basis of body weight and inoculated with the vaccine or a control preparation twice, with an interval of 3 wk. Both groups were challenged 3 wk after the booster vaccination and euthanized 3 wk after challenge. The pigs were evaluated for clinical disease, histologic lesions in sections of gastric and left inguinal lymph nodes stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and the amount of PCV2 antigen in the lymph nodes by immunohistochemical study. The PCV2 antibody titers were monitored by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay throughout the experiment. The vaccinates showed significantly less decline (P < 0.05) in PCV2 antibody titers after the booster vaccination. Clinical disease did not develop in any of the piglets. The vaccinates and controls did not differ in either histologic lesions or amount of PCV2 antigen in the lymph nodes. This study demonstrated some evidence of priming of young piglets in the presence of maternal antibodies. Further studies are recommended to determine the optimum concentration of PCV2 antigen and a suitable adjuvant for the vaccine to achieve the full potential of the strategy of inducing acquired immunity in young piglets that have maternally derived antibodies.

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most concerns in pig industry. Escherichia (E.) coli have been used for the indicator to monitor the antimicrobial resistance. In this study, 321 E. coli from diarrheic and non-diarrheic piglets were tested for antimicrobial resistance and frequency of Bla∧TEM. In non-diarrheic piglets, they were resistant to oxytetracycline (93%), streptomycin (92%) and sulfadiazine (90%) but susceptible to ceftiofur (99%), colistin (97%), and enrofloxacin (82%). The isolates from diarrheic piglets were resistant to enrofloxacin (72.9%), ceftiofur (17.6%), and colistin (11.3%), whereas the resistance was 1%, 18% and 3% in case of non-diarrheic piglets, respectively. The resistance for amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (54.1%) and ceftiofur (22%) was high in isolates from post-weaning piglets. The resistance for colistin was 15.2% in nursery piglets. Seventy-three percent of isolates from diarrheic piglets showed high multidrug resistance profile (more than 13 antimicrobials) compared to those from non-diarrheic pigs in which 71% of isolates showed moderate multidrug resistance profile (7 to 12 antimicrobials). The frequency of Bla∧TEM in E. coli from non-diarrheic and diarrheic piglets was 57% and 69%, respectively. The results might provide the basic knowledge to establish the strategies for treatment and reduce antibiotic resistance of E. coli in piglets.

Objective: To determine whether a novel optimized plasmid carrying the porcine growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH) wild-type cDNA administered at a lower dose was as effective at eliciting physiologic responses as a commercial GHRH plasmid approved for use in Australia. Animals: 134 gilts. Procedures: Estrus was synchronized and gilts were bred. Pregnant gilts were assigned to 2 treatment groups (40 gilts/group) or 1 untreated control group (24 gilts). Gilts in one of the treatment groups received the commercial GHRH plasmid, whereas gilts in the other treatment group received a novel optimized GHRH plasmid; both plasmids were administered IM in the right hind limb, which was followed by electroporation. Sow and litter performance were monitored for the 3 gestations after treatment. Results: A significant increase in insulin-like growth factor-I concentrations, decrease in perinatal mortality rate, increase in the number of pigs born alive, and increase in the weight and number of pigs weaned were detected for both groups receiving the GHRH-expressing plasmids, compared with values for the control group. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in sow attrition in GHRH-treated females, compared with attrition in the control group, during the 3 gestations after treatment. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Both of the GHRH plasmids provided significant benefits for sow performance and baby pig survivability for pregnant and lactating sows and their offspring during the 3 gestations after treatment, compared with results for untreated control gilts. Use of a novel optimized plasmid reduced the effective plasmid dose in these large mammals.

Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) can infect many host species and cause acute myocarditis and sudden death in preweaned piglets. In this study, an EMCV strain (NJ08) was isolated from newborn pigs with clinical signs on a pig farm in mideastern China. It was identified by indirect immunofluorescence assay and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Experiments showed that the isolate could cause severe clinical symptoms and pathological changes in mice but no obvious clinical and pathological changes in commercial piglets. Complete genomic sequencing showed that the NJ08 strain was 78.3% to 100% identical with other isolates in regions coding for various proteins. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the NJ08 isolate belonged to subgroup Ia. This study confirmed that an EMCV isolate from pigs could be fatal to mice and provided new epidemiologic data on EMCV in China.

Blue eye disease, caused by a porcine rubulavirus (PoRV), is an emergent viral swine disease that has been endemic in Mexico since 1980. Atypical outbreaks were detected in 1990 and 2003. Growing and adult pigs presented neurological signs, mild neurological signs were observed in piglets, and severe reproductive problems were observed in adults. Amino acid sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein revealed genetically different lineages. We used cross-neutralization assays, with homologous and heterologous antisera, to determine the antigenic relatedness values for the PoRV isolates. We found antigenic changes among several strains and identified a highly divergent one, making up a new serogroup. It seems that genetically and antigenically different PoRV strains are circulating simultaneously in the swine population in the geographical region studied. The cross neutralization studies suggest that the HN is not the only antigenic determinant participating in the antigenic changes among the different PoRV strains.

The aim of this study was to describe early infections with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in naturally infected piglets and the piglets' serologic profiles. A total of 20 sows (15 PCV2-vaccinated and 5 unvaccinated) and 100 newborn piglets were studied. Colostrum and serum of the sows and serum of the presuckling piglets were obtained on the day of parturition. Milk samples were collected on day 20 postpartum. Blood samples were taken and the piglets weighed on days 1, 20, 42, 63, and 84 postpartum. Colostrum and milk were evaluated for infectious PCV2 and for PCV2 total antibody (TA), neutralizing antibody (NA), and IgA. Serum samples were evaluated for PCV2 TA, NA, IgA, IgM, and DNA. The sows had high levels of TA and NA in serum and colostrum; however, 11 and 5, respectively, of the 20 colostrum and milk samples contained infectious PCV2. In the serum, PCV2 DNA and IgM were detected in 17 and 5, respectively, of the 20 sows. Nine piglets were born with PCV2 antibodies, which indicates in utero transmission of PCV2 after the period of immunocompetence (> 70 d of gestation). On day 1 postpartum, PCV2 DNA was detected in 29 of the 100 serum samples from the piglets. There was no difference between the weights of viremic and nonviremic piglets throughout the study. In conclusion, even on farms with sows that have high PCV2 antibody titers, vertical transmission of PCV2 may occur, resulting in piglet infection.

A trial and pig performance data collection was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of Luodong Bio- Fermentation Treatment Technology with zero discharge effect in a pig close house system at Tanjung Sepat, Selangor. This trial was done to gather and monitor the pig growth performance and the pig acceptance of using the Loudong Bio-fermentation Waste Treatment Technology in close house enviroment. Growth performance of the pigs were monitored by an average daily gain, feed conversion ratio, behaviour and veterinary observations. Close house temperature, moisture measurement and&#xD;bedding sampling were also conducted.