Care is needed not to miss the syndrome due to masking by these other more obvious diseases. Clinical signs can be suggestive, but diagnosis is based on multiple post-mortems and especially histology. Lymphocytic depletion and interstitial pneumonia are 2 common signs. PCV-2 can frequently be demonstrated by specialized techniques. Clinical signs also include anorexia, lethargy, weight loss, rough hair coat, and a gaunt appearance.
Prevention is the key.
However, because it is resistant to many disinfectants, it may be persistent on a farm for a long period of time. According to this story, when the elderly inhabitants Scotland's Swona packed their possessions and deserted the island for the Orkney mainland in 1974, they left behind croft houses, crops and 14 dairy cattle. The stone crofts crumbled, the crops died. But the strongest of the cattle learned to survive the bitter six-month winters without shelter, living off seaweed and grass. Those survivors bred among themselves, producing offspring with an inherited ability to withstand the harsh conditions.