Porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome in New Zealand

Authors: Johnstone AC, Lawton DEB
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 55, Issue 1, pp 49, Feb 2007
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Pig, Production animal
Subject Terms: Viral, Disease/defect, Infectious disease, Inflammation, Integument/skin/wool/hair/fur/feather, Pathology, Kidney/renal disease, Urinary system/urology
Article class: Abstract

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Abstract: Porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS) is a condition affecting pigs about 10–16 weeks of age that has now been reported in most major pig-producing countries worldwide. Although of unknown cause and pathogenesis, it is widely considered to be a porcine circovirus-2 (PCV-2)-associated condition. It is usually fatal and is characterised by the sudden onset of cutaneous and renal lesions resulting from a necrotising vasculitis which has microscopic and immunological features consistent with a Type III hypersensitivity reaction. The pathological changes were described in eight pigs that died or were killed electively from a farm in the North Island on which an outbreak of PDNS had affected approximately 15% of the weaner pigs over a 3-month period. The similarity of the gross and histological lesions with cases previously documented, the demonstration of immunoglobulins in glomerular exudates, and the presence of PCV-2 DNA in lymphoid tissues justified the diagnosis in this outbreak of the disease in New Zealand. In addition to the vasculopathic PDNS syndrome, sick and wasting pigs without expression of cutaneous and renal lesions presented with lymphoid, pulmonary and hepatic lesions typical of those in post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome. Of importance in the differential diagnosis of PDNS at gross examination are the acute systemic vasculopathies in which the lesions may resemble some of the viraemic and septicaemic diseases. Those of importance from a biosecurity perspective include classical swine fever and African swine fever.

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