The presence of co-infections in pigs with clinical signs of PMWS in The Netherlands: a case-control study

In this study, 60 pigs with clinical signs of post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) from 20 different pig herds and 180 control pigs (without clinical signs of PMWS) were examined to get more insights into the frequencies of porcine circovirus 2 infections and the presence of co-infections in pigs with and without clinical signs of PMWS in the Netherlands. Porcine circovirus type 2 was detected in 100% of the pigs with clinical signs of PMWS by virus isolation and/or PCR and in 50% of the pigs from PMWS-free herds. There was an association between the levels of infectious PCV2 and/or PCV2 DNA load and the severity of clinical signs as described for PMWS. A high variation in PCV2 antibody titres was found in the clinically affected pigs, and 27% of these pigs did not mount PCV2 antibody titres higher than 1:200. A concurrent infection of PCV2 and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) was found in at least 83% of the pigs with clinical signs of PMWS and in 35% of the pigs from PMWS-free herds. Co-infections of European- and American-type PRRSV were detected only in PMWS herds and in one control herd with a history of PMWS clinical signs.