Blue Eye Syndrome

Porcine rubulavirus infection, more often called blue eye disease or blue eye syndrome, affects pigs. The first cases of blue eye disease occurred in the early 1980s in Mexico. Paramyxovirus, a group of different viruses, causes porcine rubulavirus infection.

  1. Symptoms

    • Early symptoms of blue eye syndrome include fever, arched back and depression. Neurological symptoms, such as muscle tremors and coordination problems, develop as the condition progresses.

    Mortality

    • Blue eye disease can occur in pigs of all ages. Piglets that contract the condition are more likely to die than adult pigs with the disease.

    Treatment

    • No useful method of treatment exists to treat blue eye syndrome.

    Geography

    • As of 2010, all cases of blue eye syndrome had occurred in Mexico. However, similar paramyxovirus, which causes blue eye disease, exists in Israel, Canada, Australia and Japan.

    Associated Conditions

    • Conditions commonly associated with porcine rubulavirus infection include inflammation of the brain and respiratory disease. A less common condition associated with blue eye disease is corneal opacity, a disorder of the cornea.

    Considerations

    • Blue eye disease can occur year round, but most cases develop between the months of April and July.