José Iván Sanchez Betancourt

1. IntroductionPorcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) belongs to the genus Circovirus within the family Circoviridae. It is a small, non-enveloped virus containing a circular single-stranded DNA genome of approximately 1.7 kb. To date, nine PCV2 genotypes, designated PCV2a to PCV2i, have been described worldwide. The genotype distribution of PCV2 has changed over time: PCV2a was initially the most commo ...

The A (H1N1) pdm09 influenza pandemic and, most recently, the A(H3N2) variant outbreak in several areas of the USA are examples of swine influenza viruses infecting humans. These cases highlight the need for reliable and rapid diagnostic tests to elucidate the epidemiology and evolution of swine influenza viruses (Smith and others 2009, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012a, b, c). Curr ...