What Is the Parvo Virus in Pigs?

Porcine parvovirus is an important contagious disease of which pig farmers should be aware. The UK's National Animal Disease Information Service considers it a prevalent disease that requires active control and prevention.

  1. Definition

    • Porcine parvovirus (PPV) is a contagious viral disease passed among pigs that causes reproductive failure among females.

    Symptoms

    • Pigs infected with the virus will display multiple reproductive difficulties including a return to heat without a pregnancy even after mating (return to service), still-births, mummified still-births, decreased litter size and weakened piglets.

    Diagnosis

    • Porcine parvovirus can be identified by high levels of antibodies present within the pig during breeding. The virus can also be isolated from samples of piglets and still-births born of an infected pig.

    Treatment

    • This disease is not life-threatening, and pigs infected by the disease will eventually develop a natural immunity to the virus on their own. Therefore, treatment is generally not required. Immune females may also pass this immunity on to their offspring. Maternal immunity passed on to a young pig will last for 20 weeks.

    Control

    • A vaccine for the virus is available. Additionally, some farmers may choose to deliberately infect young female pigs to create natural immunity before they are allowed to mate.