Porcine enterovirus (PEV 8, 9 and 10)

Test code: S0210 - Ultrasensitive detection but not differentiation of porcine enteroviruses (PEV 8, 9 and 10) by reverse transcription coupled real time PCR

Porcine enteroviruses are porcine picornaviruses and are ubiquitous in nature. Porcine enteroviruses (PEV) formerly comprised at least 13 serotypes, grouped into three species. However, porcine enterovirus 1 (PEV 1, the prototype “Teschen virus” and “Talfan virus”), PEV 2 through 7, and PEV 11-13 have now been moved to a new genus called Teschovirus. Porcine enteroviruses 8-10 remain in the original Enterovirus genus.

Infection with these viruses can sometimes cause neurological disorders, fertility disorders, and dermal lesions of swine. However, most infections are asymptomatic.

Infected pigs can shed the viruses in feces. Spread of the virus is usually by direct or indirect contact with infected pigs, and transmission is usually through the fecal-oral route. Infected fetuses born alive are sometimes a source of viral exposure of other pigs. Fomites can also carry the virus, which is relatively stable in the environment. All ages of swine are susceptible if they have not previously encountered a picornavirus of that serogroup.

Serological detection of infection requires paired serum samples taken at least two weeks apart to show a rising titer in serum neutralization or complement fixation tests. Virus isolation in tissue culture and identification by immunofluorescence or identification of viral antigen in tissue by similar technique may be useful. However, these techniques are not available in all diagnostic laboratories in the United States because virulent porcine picornaviral infections seldom occur there. Secondly, those techniques are not very sensitive and are relatively slow. Molecular detection by PCR, on the other hand, is increasingly the method of choice because of its sensitivity, specificity and faster turnaround time (La Rosa et al., 2006).

Utilities:

• Help confirm the disease causing agent
• Identify PEV carriers
• Help ensure that facilities and populations are free of PEV
• Early prevention of spread of the virus among animals
• Minimize human exposure to the virus
• Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from animals

References:
La Rosa, G., Muscillo, M., Di Grazia, A., Fontana, S., Iaconelli, M. and Tollis, M. (2006) Validation of rt-PCR assays for molecular characterization of porcine teschoviruses and enteroviruses. J. Vet. Med. B. Infect. Dis. Vet. Public Health 53:257-265.

Specimen requirements: 0.2 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube, or 0.2 ml feces, or fecal or rectal swabs, or 0.2 ml urine, or 0.2 ml cerebrospinal fluid, or 0.2 ml fresh or frozen tissue.

Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.

For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See shipping instructions for more information.

Turnaround time: 2 business days

Methodology: Qualitative reverse transcription real time PCR

Normal range: Nondetected