Concomitant Zearalenone Ingestion and Porcine Circovirus-2 Infection (2013)

Background: Researches have suggested that mycotoxins could corroborate the pathogenesis of porcine viral diseases. Zearalenone (ZEA), one of the most import mycotoxicosis in pigs result signifi cant reproductive disorders. The circovirosis syndromes in pigs have been associated with multifactorial or predisposing conditions. No previous data have correlated ZEA with viral syndromes in Sus scrofa. In this report are described anamnesis, clinical and histological fi ndings with zearalenone ingestion and PCV-2 infection in a Brazilian livestock. Case: Feeding ration was mixed and produced at the farm with low quality corn that was stored in barn with cement fl oor. During ten months, 28 farrowing occurred. Fifteen of them were normal and produced 145 animals, mean of 9.66 piglets per litter. Thirteen sows presented reproductive disorders, and one died. Eight of them had the delayed farrowing and three aborted. These animals produced 57 mummifi ed fetuses (10-16cm crown-rump length), 23 aborted fetuses (60-72 days of gestation), four stillborn, two teratogenic fetuses and only 16 normal piglets. Skin pustules, hemorrhagic spots and petechiae, as well as coughing were observed in 88% of the animals and four piglets died. Diarrhea outbreaks frequently occurred in this period. Twenty fi ve of 34 gilts (75%) showed longer estrous cycle, estrus returning, vulvae volume and mammary glands enlargement. Necropsies showed enlarged lymphatic nodes and kidneys. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis indicated the presence of Porcine Circovirus type 2 (PCV-2) in analyzed tissues. Toxicological tests demonstrated the presence of zearalenone (ZEA) in stomach contents with average of 8.75 µg/g and pesticides and afl atoxins were not detected. Discussion: The history, the clinical signs, the necropsy and histological fi ndings suggested a mix of zearalenone mycotoxicosis and PVC-2 syndrome that was confi rmed by PVC-2 tissue detection in immunohistochemical assay, and by food toxicological analysis. The ZEA average founded in stomach contents (8.75 µg/g could produce the reproductive disorders and could has exacerbated the circovirosis. The most frequent reproductive alteration observed in the farrowing was mummifi ed fetuses that corresponded 66.7% of its products. The several reproductive disorders as abortion, stillborn, mummifi ed fetuses, estrus returning, vulvae volume and mammary glands enlargement in gilts are frequently related to zearalenone mycotoxicosis. Appetite loss, apathy, wasting, cough and diarrhea and increased mortality and withdrawal rate in growth and post-weaning phases observed in this study are liked as the several descriptions in the Post-Weaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome. The hemorrhagic skin spots and increased kidneys, with multifocal glomerulonephritis, lymphohistiocytic interstitial nephritis to remember the several alterations in Porcine Dermatitis and Nephropathy Syndrome. Both syndromes by PCV-2 could be simultaneity occurring in this herd and could have a co-participation of the ZEA ingestion as aggravated factor. After contaminated corn to sorghum free of ZEA exchange at ration, the reproduction returned to normal level and no PCV-2 lesions were observed, suggesting the ZEA ingestion as one initial or aggravating factor for the PCV-2 syndromes. For the fi rst time, this report describes historical, anamnesis, clinical and histological fi ndings possibly associated with zearalenone contamination and PCV-2 infection in pigs.