We established serological, PCR and immunohistochemical methods to detect porcine circovirus type2 (PCV2), which was thought as the causative agent for postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), and investigated a series of field surveys of PCV2 infection and PMWS in Japan. Serological surveys demonstrated that PCV2 infection had been widespread over pig farms in Japan and PCV2 existed from at least the late 1980's. In the survey on detection of PCV2 by PCR and immunohistochemistry in weaning pigs with wasting disease, PCV2 was detected in 80% of the weaning pigs by PCR, and characteristic PMWS lesions with the presence of PCV2 were detected in 30% of the weaning pigs. These results made it clear that PCV2 infection and PMWS is widespread in pig populations in Japan. Also, it indicated that detection of the features lesion and detection of PCV2 from the lesion are optimum for the diagnosis of PMWS. (Environmental Hygiene Section, Shichinohe Research Unit TEL +81-176-62-5115)
Reference:
1. Kawashima et al. (2001) PMWS Symposium-Idiology and Prevention p11-12.
2. Kawashima et al. (2001) US-Japan Cooperative Program in Natural Resources Panel of Animal and Avian Health Meeting p5.
