DIAGNOSIS AND CONTROL OF AUJESZKY’S DISEASE IN PIGS

Abstract

Aujeszky’s disease (Morbus Aujeszky, MA) is an infectious viral disease caused by swine alpha-herpes virus 1. The disease may be found in diff erent animal species, both domestic and wild, except in primates and humans. Pigs are a natural reservoir of the virus. Th ey are the only species that can survive the infection, but with a possibility of subclinical and latent infection. The main way of spreading the infection is through introduction of subclinically infected pigs into a herd. On the other hand, if the case of stress (transport, capture, dust) reactivation of latent infection and excretion of the virulent virus occurs. Th e aim of this study was to present the methods used in diagnosis and diff erential diagnosis. Th e material for examination originated from two pig farms with increased mortality of suckling piglets. The epizootic and clinical examination were used as well as pathomorpohological examination, standard laboratory methods for determining the presence of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, virus isolation in cell culture, serum neutralization test for determining the titer of specifi c antibodies against MA and microbiological testing of feed samples. Th e cases of MA on the pig farm where immunoprophylaxis against MA was not carried out, and the breeding animals were purchased from pig farms with unknown health status, causes great direct losses, like for example mortality of piglets, abortion, as well as indirect losses, like growth retardation and high cost of disease control.