Abstract No: P.

02-05

PRRS SEROLOGICAL PROFILES IN GROWING AND FATTENING PERIODS:

ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF FARM SIZE AND LOCAL STOCK DENSITY

B Ridremont1, V Auvigne2
1
Intervet SA, BEAUCOUZE, France
2
Ekipaj, ST GREGOIRE, France

Introduction However, for 6-week old pigs, the chances of a batch being
From February 2002 to June 2004, with Intervet support, positive is significantly higher in farms with more than 280
more than 800 PRRS serological profiles have been sows (Tables 2 and 3). There is no correlation with the
performed in French herds on unvaccinated growing pigs local stock density in any age category. Positivity at 6
by swine practitioners. A first analysis of all the “non- weeks of age, mostly reflecting the presence of maternally
negative” profiles, carried out prior to March 2003, derived antibodies (MDA), does not explain the positivity
revealed some differences between geographical areas (1). at 12 weeks of age, which will be the result of infection.
The differences were observed in piglets in three age
groups : 5-7, 8-10 and 11-13 weeks of age. We inferred the Table 2 6 week-old pigs -seropositivity risk factors (234
hypothesis that structural herd factors influence PRRS farms with sows).
virus circulation in growing pigs. In this paper, we Odds-ratio [IC] p
consider two of these potential risk factors : Number 50 to 150
- Herd size : because contacts between pigs increase with 1 [reference] -
sows
herd size. 150 to 280 1.5 [0.7 - 3.2] 0.4
- Area contaminations : because transmissions by aerosol > 280 4.3 [2.1 - 8.9] 0.0001
or by insects or other factors, are likely to be more frequent
Density < 4 pigs/ha 1 [reference] -
in areas of high stocking density.
4 to 8
1.2 [0.6 -.5] 0.6
pigs/ha
Material and Methods
The study involved 285 PRRS serological profiles from > 8 pigs/ha
1.2 [0.6 - 2.4] 0.6
samples taken from three age groups (5 to 7, 8 to 10, 11 to
13 weeks of age). These age ranges are referred to later as
6, 9 and 12 weeks. The profiles were extracted from a Table 3 Relationship between farm size and seropositivity
database of 750 serological profiles (all ‘non-negative’ at 6 weeks old.
profiles carried out by swine practitioners between Number of sows
February 2002 and June 2004). None of the growing pigs 50 to 150 150 to > 280 0
on these farms were vaccinated when sampled. The sera 280
were analyzed by Elisa (98 % with Idexx kit). For each
%pos.batches 20.5 24.4 51.3 25.0
profile, the following parameters were provided by the
Nr profiles 80 75 79 12
UGPVB organization from the Infoporc database : farm
size (number of reproductive animals, weaned piglets and
fattening pigs), farm type (farrow-to-finish farm, finishing Discussion
farm), stock density in the neighbourhood (number of pigs This study considered risk factors for seroconversion on
within a radius of 3 km, excluding the farm sampled). A infected farms, not the risk of contamination in a negative
total of 246 profiles were submitted to statistical analysis herd. In the absence of systematic PCR or IgM tests in
by logistical regression using Epiinfo® software. seropositive 6-week old piglets, it is quite difficult to
discriminate between maternally derived antibodies and
Results those following active infection prior to weaning.
The mean number of sows per farm was 202 and 25 % of However, the Elisa S/P ratios of seropositive growing pigs
the profiles came from farms with at least 400 sows (above are much lower at 6 weeks of age than at 12 weeks (Table
the average for Brittany). 1). Furthermore there is no statistical relationship between
the status at 6 and at 12 weeks of age. Antibodies at 6
Table 1 Results by age group. weeks of age may well be essentially of maternal origin
Age category (weeks) and the differences observed according to the size of farm
6 9 12 could be caused by differences in the immune status of the
Positive batches (%) 31.7 25.2 40.2 sow herd.
Positive pigs (%) 36 26.8 38.8 In conclusion, it seems impossible to attribute a particular
Mean S/P ratio risk of contamination according to a herd’s size or
1.0 1.3 1.8 geographical location. Transmission which depends on
(among pos. Idexx)
proximity to others does not seem to play a major role in
An age group is regarded as positive, if more than half the the level of virus circulation on an infected farm.
pigs in the batch are positive (Table 1). Diagnosis at a farm level is always essential.
For the 9- and 12-week old groups, there is no correlation
between serological status of the batch and farm size. Reference
1. Ridremont B., Auvigne V., Proceedings Journées
AFMVP (2003), p 171.

Proceedings of the 19th IPVS Congress, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2006 · Volume 2 31