This is our Friday rubric: every week a new Science Page from the Bob Morrison’s Swine Health Monitoring Project. The previous editions of the science page are available on our website.
This week, the Science Page focuses on unusual Central Nervous system (CNS) cases that have been emerging in the past few years. Etiological agents like porcine teschovirus (PTV), porcine enteroviruses (PEV), porcine sapelovirus (PSV), and atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV) have been implicated in those cases leading to the creation of a set of criteria to positively identify a CNS case.
Three criteria are therefore required: identifying the clinical signs, a positive PCR test for one or more of the viruses, and histological results consistent with viral encephalitis from spinal cord or brain tissue.
Key points from this week edition:
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An apparent increase in the number of cases associate with atypical neurological signs have been observed over the last two years.
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Since then, the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories (VDLs) have identified a set of criteria required to meet the CNS case definition.
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MSHMP will continue reporting CNS cases diagnosed at the KSU, ISU, SDSU, and UMN VDLs.
Take a look at the number of cases recorded since September 2016.