Producing PRCV Serological and Virus Negative Piglets from a PRCV Infected Farrow to Finish Herd

Introduction:

Porcine Respiratory Coronavirus (PRCV) negative health status herds can be advantageous in the North America breeding stock industry. PRCV is a coronavirus that is capable of aerosol transmission through long distances. The purpose of the project was to produce PRCV virus and serologically negative piglets from a PRCV positive farrow-to-finish herd by removing piglets at 2-4 days of age from the farrowing rooms.

Materials and Methods:

Historical PRCV diagnostics indicated that there was PRCV viral activity as early as 10-14 days of age.

Prior to the project, PRCV diagnostics were completed to determine current PRCV activity within the farrow-to-finish herd.

44 nasal swabs were taken from suckling piglets that were 2-5, 3-8 and 8-17 days of age. Samples tested negative for PRCV PCR pooled by 2.
Twenty serum samples were collected from pigs at both 3 and 9 weeks of age. At 3 weeks of age, 19/20 pigs were serologically negative. At 9 weeks of age, 19/20 pigs were serologically negative.

During the project 66 sows were identified as potential mothers for the project. The sows were serum sampled 3-4 weeks prefarrow and all were found serologically negative. Over a 17-day time period, 85 boars were collected at 2-4 days after birth from 50 sows. Piglets were placed into Camfil L6 filtered chambers to be transferred from the farrow-to-finish herd to a Camfil L6 filtered off-site quarantine barn. Piglets were kept under strict isolation for 45 days following the entry of the last piglet.

Results:

Fifteen days after the last piglet entered the off-site quarantine barn all piglets were nasal swabbed and serum sampled. All nasal swabs and serum were negative for PRCV by PCR and ELISA respectively. Piglets remained serologically negative through to project termination at 31 days post entry to the quarantine.

Conclusion:

PRCV virus and antibody negative piglets can be produced from PRCV positive herd by removing the piglets at 2-4 days of age.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared.

Published in the proceedings of the International Pig Veterinary Society Congress – IPVS2016. For information on the event, past and future editions, check out https://www.theipvs.com/future-congresses/.