PRCV first appeared in pigs in Europe some ten years or more ago. It is related to but distinct from TGE virus, which is another corona virus. It is thought to spread between farms on wind and so it is extremely difficult to keep herds free from it. Infection often takes place in the sucking pig at 2 to 3 weeks of age but is not of importance. It may have an effect on lung tissue when other respiratory pathogens are present in chronic respiratory disease complexes.
Symptoms
Sows
- Usually no symptoms.
- In the presence of other respiratory agents coughing may be associated.
Piglets
- A transient cough but no other signs.
Weaners & Growers
- Herds exposed for the first time have few if any signs of disease.
- A transient coughing lasting only a few hours.
Causes / Contributing factors
- Field observations indicate the virus is spread for long distances on the wind.
- PRCV is respiratory spread.
Diagnosis
PRCV does however cross react with the serological test for TGE and it therefore can confuse the diagnosis. A differential test is available but recently this has failed suggesting a new or different virus has appeared. In such infected herds respiratory disease is becoming evident particularly in the presence of PRRS virus.