Per Wallgren

..The aim of the present study was to evaluate a blocking ELISA in the detection of serum antibodies to L. intracellularis, by comparison to the previously widely used immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT)...

..This study focused on PCV2 load and antibody dynamics in finishing herds with different PMWS status...

..Significantly higher levels of antibodies to M. hyopneumoniae were produced by PBMC obtained from pigs aged 5-9 weeks. Thus, the ability of PBMC to produce antibodies to M. hyopneumoniae in vitro seemed to be age-dependent...

..In Sweden, intensity in rearing, disease preventing measures and immaturity of the piglets appear to be important as predisposing factors to PMWS and, as such, are discussed in this article...

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..The data generated to date in Sweden suggest that introduction of a new contagious microbe into the country that is responsible for the PMWS outbreaks appears unlikely, as does the spread of PMWS via semen...

..The sensitivity was determined to be 88% when calculated on seropositive pigs (A450 = 0.3 in serum diluted 1/1000). That figure increased to 97% if calculated on pigs expressing pronounced amounts of serum antibodies (A450 > or = 0.5)...

..The findings should contribute to better understanding of factors related to the survival/extinction of this uncommon reassortant variant...

..In this study, the influence of improvements of the floor quality and of increased ratios of straw in identical farrowing pens was measured...

..The latter two showed close genetic relatedness regarding their PB2, HA, NP, and NS genes, suggesting common ancestry. The study substantiates the importance of molecular surveillance for swine influenza viruses...

..These observations indicate a multiple viral infection in PMWS-affected pigs. It has to be studied further if the clinical manifestation of PMWS might be due to synergistic effects of different viruses acting together...

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..Coincidence of active viral infection and sero-conversion to PCV-2 points to the virus as the cause of the EE outbreak and reproductive disturbances...

..Vaccinations present an appealing alternative to antimicrobial treatments. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of two different vaccination strategies in a specialized fattening herd affected by actinobacillosis...

..Apart from animal suffering, lameness contributes to losses in form of dead piglets, decreased growth, and increased use of antibiotics and manual labour...

..Thus, several genes, genetic pathways and biological processes were identified that are likely to shape the early immune response elicited by ISCOM-based vaccines...

..The description of this H1N2 SIV adds further information to influenza epidemiology and supports the necessity of surveillance for influenza viruses in pigs...

..CONCLUSIONS: This method enables detection of ligated DNA strands with good sensitivity by real-time PCR and could be of value for early diagnosis of infectious disease and in biodefense...

..It is caused by E. coli strains that express fimbriae F18 and produce verotoxin 2e, mainly belonging to serotype O138, O139 or O141. The aim of this study was to compare E. coli isolates within these serotypes with respect to diversity...

..25-3.82 (TCID(50))/50μL the two-step sperm selection method eliminated 2.92±0.23 logs of infectious PCV2, corresponding to more than 99% reduction. Sperm quality was not affected by the selection procedure...

..If the pigs were fed soybean meal, kept in single pens and circulated between the pens, five out of nine developed disease...

..Both the total gut microflora and the coliform flora were influenced by the dietary NSP content...

..65 x 10(6) cfu seroconverted later and with lower titres of antibodies, and the pigs inoculated with 0.65 x 10(3) cfu did not seroconvert. A similar pattern was observed with S Yoruba, but the responses were slower and at lower titres...

..During the first 2 weeks of life somewhat lower median levels of serum antibodies were recorded among the piglets that were treated against arthritis (n = 8)...

..It was concluded that a high antibody level in colostrum appeared to protect piglets from M. hyopneumoniae...

..In addition, concomitant infections with other presumptive pathogens were commonly found...

..The group given lactose+fibres was least affected with respect to these parameters. In conclusion feed related measures may alleviate symptoms of PWD...

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..Clinical signs of disease in the sow and whether the piglets were given an intramuscular injection of 200 mg of iron on their second, third or fourth day of life had no effect on the incidence of lameness...

..A low pathogen load with respect to A. pleuropneumoniae, as well as small herd size and age-segregated rearing, tended to improve the performance of growers...

..coli, and in these groups diarrhoea was seen in the absence of rotavirus. ACTH administration amplified the clinical signs. The litter of origin influenced the development of post-weaning diarrhoea...

..Thus, the pathogenicity of S-PCV2 was confirmed and a role for cytokines in the etiology of PMWS was indicated...

..To determine the presence of the bacteria in a herd, serology or repeated faecal sampling for PCR from target animals, or both, should be used...

..The IFN-alpha response increased markedly at repeated injections of pcDNA3. This IFN-alpha inducing capacity of the plasmid is likely to affect immune responses at DNA vaccination of pigs...

..The procedures did not influence health status of the pigs, nor alter gut function. The method will be useful in experimental infection studies as well as in other physiologic investigations...