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Objective: To determine prevalence of foot lesions, dermatitis, shoulder lesions, mammary gland abnormalities, and visceral lesions, and body condition scores among culled female swine at slaughter., Design: Observational study., Animals: Culled gilts and sows killed during a 1-week period at a Midwest slaughterhouse., Procedure: Carcasses were examined, and lesions were recorded. Body condition was scored on the basis of standard criteria., Results: 58.9% (1,029/1,747) of the carcasses had foot lesions, 67.3% (1,178/1,751) had dermatitis, and 4.6% (80/1,751) had shoulder lesions. Body condition score was significantly associated with detection of dermatitis and shoulder lesions. Mean +/- SE number of teats (n = 1,432 carcasses) was 13.86 +/- 0.02. Mean numbers of normal-appearing teats in the left and right mammary chains were 6.57 +/- 0.02 and 6.58 +/- 0.02, respectively. Feet from 48% (688/1,433) of the carcasses were condemned. Visceral lesions were found in 48.8% (624/1,278) of the carcasses; of the carcasses with lesions, 412 (66%) had liver spots, and 268 (42.9%) had pneumonia., Clinical Implications: Lesions that potentially could have adversely affected production were found in a large percentage of culled gilts and sows at slaughter. Knowledge of lesions commonly found at slaughter may help direct changes in herd health programs.

We compared 3 modified-live pseudorabies virus (PRV) vaccine strains, administered by the intranasal (IN) or IM routes to 4- to 6-week-old pigs, to determine the effect of high- and low-challenge doses in these vaccinated pigs. At the time of vaccination, all pigs had passively acquired antibodies to PRV. Four experiments were conducted. Four weeks after vaccination, pigs were challenge-exposed IN with virulent virus strain Iowa S62. In experiments 1 and 2, a high challenge exposure dose (10(5.3) TCID50) was used, whereas in experiments 3 and 4, a lower challenge exposure dose (10(2.8) TCID50) was used. This low dose was believed to better simulate field conditions. After challenge exposure, pigs were evaluated for clinical signs of disease, weight gain, serologic response, and viral shedding. When vaccinated pigs were challenge-exposed with a high dose of PRV, the duration of viral shedding was significantly (P less than 0.05) lower, and body weight gain was greater in vaccinated pigs, compared with nonvaccinated challenge-exposed pigs. Pigs vaccinated IN shed PRV for fewer days than pigs vaccinated IM, but this difference was not significant. When vaccinated pigs were challenge-exposed with a low dose, significantly (P less than 0.05) fewer pigs vaccinated IN (51%) shed PRV, compared with pigs vaccinated IM (77%), or nonvaccinated pigs (94%). Additionally, the duration of viral shedding was significantly (P less than 0.05) shorter in pigs vaccinated IN, compared with pigs vaccinated IM or nonvaccinated pigs. The high challenge exposure dose of PRV may have overwhelmed the local immune response and diminished the advantages of the IN route of vaccination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The use of an ELISA that can differentiate between swine infected with pseudorabies virus (PRV) and swine vaccinated with a specific PRV vaccine was evaluated on an individual and herd basis, and a system for interpreting ELISA results on a herd basis was developed. In 17 herds, recently introduced replacement gilts, seronegative for PRV, were vaccinated with a thymidine kinase- and glycoprotein X (gpX)-deleted vaccine. After vaccination, blood samples were collected from these gilts approximately every 1 to 2 months for up to 19 months. Serum samples were analyzed for antibodies to gpX antigen, using a commercially available ELISA kit according to the manufacturer's protocol. Herd status was determined as positive, suspect, or negative, according to the serum sample:negative control (S:N) values of the samples collected from the herd. From the 17 herds, 130 evaluations were performed. On 49 (38%) of the 130 herd evaluations, 1 or more gilts had suspect test results. Additional testing was required in 19 (39%) of these 49 herd evaluations to determine the PRV infection status of the herd. Status of herds having gilts with suspect results and no positive results was usually negative after retesting. Herds having gilts with positive results were unlikely to have negative status after retesting.

Strategies for the elimination of pseudorabies virus (PRV) from swine herds include test and removal, offspring segregation, and depopulation/repopulation. The prevalence of PRV in a herd is a major factor in selection of the most appropriate strategy. The purpose of the study reported here was to describe the prevalence of PRV in adult swine in PRV quarantined herds in Minnesota, and to determine herd factors associated with the seroprevalence. Questionnaires describing the health history of the herd, management practices, and design of the swine facilities were obtained from the owners of 142 quarantined herds. Blood was collected from 29 finishing pigs over the age of 4 months, up to 29 adult females, and all herd boars. Factors considered to be significant in a bivariate analysis were combined in a stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of PRV-seropositive adults in each herd was bimodally distributed among the 142 herds. In 42 (30%) of the herds, none of the females tested was seropositive, which represented the lower mode. At least 90% of the adults tested were seropositive in 30 (21%) of the herds and represented the higher mode. The odds of the breeding swine of a given herd having a PRV seroprevalence of greater than or equal to 20% as compared with having a seroprevalence of less than 20% was 1.654 times higher per 50 adults in the herd, 13.550 times higher if the finishing pigs were seropositive, 2.378 times higher if sows were housed inside during gestation, and 1.481 times lower per number of years since the imposition of quarantine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Knowledge of the factors that place susceptible gilts at highest risk of pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection in a quarantined herd is crucial to reduce spread of PRV within the herd. Cohorts of PRV seronegative gilts were monitored in 17 herds that were endemically infected with PRV to determine the location of breeding females at the time of infection with PRV and identify herd characteristics and management and housing factors that may influence spread of PRV in the breeding section of swine herds endemically infected with PRV. Blood samples were collected every 1 to 2 months for an average of 13.6 months. In addition, blood was collected from a representative sample of finishing pigs (greater than or equal to 20 weeks old) 3 times per year to determine their serologic PRV status. Incidence rates and relative risks of PRV infection were estimated for 4 areas of the breeding section: gestation barn, gilt pool, farrowing room, and breeding area. Overall, 28, 11, 8, and 2 females became infected with PRV in each of these areas, respectively. The greater number of females infected in the gestation barns, compared with the number of females infected in other locations, is probably a consequence of being at risk for a longer period rather than of a higher incidence rate. Herd size, common housing for gilts in the gilt pool and sows, and serologic pattern of PRV infection in finishing pigs were associated with the detection of spread of PRV in the breeding section of the 17 herds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In theory, pseudorabies virus (PRV) may be eliminated from any size of breeding herd by phased test and removal if replacement gilts are not infected with PRV, culling decisions are partially based on PRV status, and the cull rate is higher than the incidence rate of PRV. Annual cull rates are commonly at least 50%, but little information exists on the incidence of PRV within enzootically infected swine herds. The purpose of this study was to develop a method by which spread of PRV could be detected among breeding swine within enzootically infected herds and to determine the incidence of PRV infection in these herds. Data were collected from 17 herds that were quarantined for PRV and ranged in size from 120 to 1,100 sows. At each herd, within the first 5 days of introduction, a group of approximately 30 replacement gilts was identified, vaccinated with a glycoprotein X-deleted PRV vaccine, and blood sample was collected. The owner of 1 herd had a nonvaccinated breeding herd and elected to leave incoming gilts nonvaccinated. After vaccination, blood samples were collected every 1 to 2 months for an average of 13.6 months. Serum samples from vaccinated gilts were tested for antiglycoprotein X antibodies by a specific differential ELISA. Samples from nonvaccinated gilts were evaluated by serum neutralization test. Product-limit method was used to estimate the probability of not becoming infected with PRV. Spread was detected in 7 of 8 herds that had more than 400 sows and in 2 of 9 herds that had less than 400 sows.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Data were collected from 104 Minnesota swine farms quarantined for pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection. Each herd was serologically evaluated for the presence of antibodies to PRV in finishing pigs. Herd management practices, swine housing design, and disease profiles were described for each farm. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine which factors were associated with circulation of PRV in the finishing pigs of farrow-to-finish farms. Sixty-seven (64%) of the herds had no serologic evidence of PRV circulation in the finishing section, whereas 37 herds (36%) contained at least one PRV seropositive finishing pig. The odds of a given finishing herd being seropositive for PRV were 2.85 times higher if the finishing pigs were housed in confinement (P = 0.01), 2 times higher if Actinobacillus (Haemophilus) pleuropneumoniae was a clinical problem in the herd (P = 0.03), 1.36 times less for each year that passed since the herd quarantine was issued (P = 0.01), 1.74 times higher if clinical signs of PRV were reported (P = 0.04), and 1.52 times higher if animal protein was included in at least one of the rations (P = 0.08).

Data were collected from 39 Minnesota swine farms quarantined for pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection. Each herd was serologically evaluated for antibodies to PRV in the sows, boars, and finishing pigs. To identify PRV-seropositive swine herds, the Kappa statistic was used to estimate the effectiveness of evaluating the PRV serostatus of boars or of finishing pigs. Using the serostatus of all herd boars, the sensitivity (with 95% confidence interval) of identifying PRV-infected herds was 58 +/- 22%, and the specificity was 100 +/- 0%; Kappa statistic was 0.55. Using the serostatus of a representative sample of finishing pigs, the sensitivity of identifying PRV-infected herds (with 95% confidence interval) was 63 +/- 22%, and specificity was 87 +/- 23%; Kappa statistic was 0.40. The PRV serostatus of herd boars or of a representative sample of finishing pigs did not accurately reflect the PRV serostatus of the herd.

It has been reported that pseudorabies virus (PRV) stops spreading within growing-finishing sections of a large percentage of infected farrow-to-finish herds. This study was designed to follow the PRV status of growing-finishing pigs in a sample of infected herds. Fifteen infected herds were selected, of which 11 had seropositive finishing pigs and 4 had seronegative finishing pigs. These herds were visited quarterly for one year, and a cross section of growing-finishing pigs was tested for the presence of anti-PRV antibodies. The 4 herds that initially were seronegative remained seronegative, whereas of the 11 herds initially seropositive, 4 remained seropositive, 4 became seronegative, and 3 became temporarily seronegative before becoming seropositive again. Three characteristics serologic profiles were observed: one indicating continued viral spread; one indicating no spread for at least the preceding 3 months; and one indicating that PRV spread had recently ceased in this section of the herd. Results of our study indicated that periodic monitoring of a cross section of the growing-finishing pigs for their PRV serologic status was valuable for determining whether PRV was actively spreading in this section of the herd.

Sequential outbreaks of pseudorabies virus and porcine parvovirus infections were documented at a swine farm in southern Minnesota. Data for the prevalence of mummified fetuses born and the preweaning mortality were recorded over a 3-year-period. The farm was a farrow-to-finish facility, with breeding females housed in 4 groups according to their stage of pregnancy. The herd consisted of approximately 130 breeding females in December 1981, and expanded to 220 females during the 12 months of 1982. Excluding the outbreaks, the mean preweaning mortality was 20.43% (SE 1.59) and the number of mummified fetuses per litter was 0.19 (SE 0.01). An outbreak of porcine parvovirus infection caused the preweaning mortality and number of mummified fetuses to increase to 50% and 4.10 per litter, respectively. Two outbreaks of pseudorabies 27 months apart, caused the preweaning mortality to increase to 95% and 82%, and the number of mummified fetuses to increase to 0.96 and 1.25 mummified fetuses per litter, respectively. The increase in mummification was observed 1 month after the increase in preweaning mortality caused by pseudorabies virus infections, whereas the increase in mummification and preweaning mortality was simultaneous with porcine parvovirus infections.