Dynamics of Infection of Atypical Porcine Pestivirus in Commercial Pigs from Birth to Market: A Longitudinal Study
Alexandra C. Buckley,
Juan-Carlos Mora-Díaz,
Ronaldo L. Magtoto,
Amberly Van Hulzen,
Franco Matias Ferreyra,
Shollie M. Falkenberg,
Luis G. Giménez-Lirola,
Bailey L. Arruda
Affiliations
Alexandra C. Buckley
Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA 50010, USA
Juan-Carlos Mora-Díaz
Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Ronaldo L. Magtoto
Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Amberly Van Hulzen
Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Franco Matias Ferreyra
Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Shollie M. Falkenberg
Ruminant Disease and Immunology Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Ames, IA 50010, USA
Luis G. Giménez-Lirola
Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Bailey L. Arruda
Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA 50010, USA
Atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV) was found to be associated with pigs demonstrating congenital tremors (CT), and clinical signs in pigs have been reproduced after experimental challenge. Subsequently, APPV has been identified in both symptomatic and asymptomatic swine of all ages globally. The objective of this research was to perform a longitudinal study following two cohorts of pigs, those born in litters with pigs exhibiting CT and those born in litters without CT, to analyze the virus and antibody dynamics of APPV infection in serum from birth to market. There was a wide range in the percentage of affected pigs (8–75%) within CT-positive litters. After co-mingling with CT-positive litters at weaning, pigs from CT-negative litters developed viremia that was cleared after approximately 2 months, with the majority seroconverting by the end of the study. In contrast, a greater percentage of pigs exhibiting CT remained PCR positive throughout the growing phase, with less than one-third of these animals seroconverting. APPV RNA was present in multiple tissues from pigs in both groups at the time of marketing. This study improved our understanding of the infection dynamics of APPV in swine and the impact that the immune status and timing of infection have on the persistence of APPV in serum and tissues.
