Neonatal Mortality, Vesicular Lesions and Lameness Associated with Senecavirus A in a U.S. Sow Farm

Abstract

A 300-sow farrow-to-finish swine operation in the United States experienced a sudden and severe increase in mortality in neonatal piglets with high morbidity followed by vesicular lesions on the snout and feet of adult females and males. Affected live piglets were submitted for diagnostic investigation. Samples tested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) negative for foot-and-mouth disease virus, porcine delta coronavirus, porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus, porcine rotavirus types A, B and C, transmissible gastroenteritis virus, and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. Senecavirus A (SV-A) formerly known as Seneca Valley virus was detected by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) from serum, skin and faeces of piglets and from serum and faeces of sows. SV-A was isolated in cell culture from piglet samples. SV-A VP1 gene region sequencing from piglet tissues was also successful. A biosecurity and disease entry evaluation was conducted and identified potential biosecurity risks factors for the entry of new pathogens into the operation. This is the first case report in the United States associating SV-A with a clinical course of severe but transient neonatal morbidity and mortality followed by vesicular lesions in breeding stock animals. Veterinarians and animal caretakers must remain vigilant for vesicular foreign animal diseases and report suspicious clinical signs and lesions to state animal health authorities for diagnostic testing and further investigation.

Genomic analysis of codon usage shows influence of mutation pressure, natural selection, and host features on Senecavirus A evolution

“…SVA was also found in lesions in pigs suffering from porcine idiopathic vesicular disease in Canada and USA in 2008 and 2012, respectively [11]. In 2014 and 2015, SVA infection was associated with outbreaks of vesicular disease in sows as well as neonatal pig mortality in Brazil and USA [12]. In China, SVA (SVV CH-01-2015) was also first isolated in a pig farm in 2015 [13].…”

The First Identification and Complete Genome of Senecavirus A Affecting Pig with Idiopathic Vesicular Disease in China

“…Death was observed in neonatal piglets after sows exhibited clinical symptoms. In contrast, the report described that clinical signs in the neonatal piglets preceded vesicular signs in adult animals (Canning et al., ). On the basis of this analysis and previous work, it seems that SVA might be one of causes of PIVD.…”

“…The fourth report showed that the mortality rate of neonatal piglets ranged from 30% to 70% in SVA‐affected herds in Brazil (Vannucci et al., ). Furthermore, SVA was recently isolated from neonatal piglets and it is the first report linking SVA with severe neonatal death in America (Canning et al., ). Three reports described detection and genomic characterization of SVA in the United State in 2015 (Guo et al., ; Hause et al., ; Wang et al., ).…”

Reverse transcriptase droplet digital PCR to identify the emerging vesicular virus Senecavirus A in biological samples

“…Senecavirus A circulation in Brazil has already been characterized based on molecular epidemiology as well as associated to the occurrence of clinical signs in neonatal pigs (Laguardia‐Nascimento et al., ; Leme et al., ). On a global scale, Canada, USA, Colombia, China and Thailand are countries that have already reported this emerging virus related to swine vesicular disease (Canning et al., ; Guo et al., ; Hause, Myers, Duff, & Hesse, ; Joshi et al., ; Pasma et al., ; Qian, Fan, Qian, Chen, & Li, ; Saeng‐chuto, Rodtian, Temeeyasen, Wegner, & Nilubol, ; Sun, Vannucci, Knutson, Corzo, & Marthaler, ; Tousignant et al., ; Wang, Prarat, Hayes, & Zhang, ; Wu et al., ; Zhang et al., ).…”