Detection of PRRSV-1 in tongue fluids under experimental and field conditions and comparison of different sampling material for PRRSV sow herd monitoring.

Background: Infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) leads to significant economic losses worldwide. One of the initial measures following an outbreak is to stabilise the herd and to prevent vertical transmission of PRRSV. The objective of this study was to detect PRRSV in different sampling material, both in an experimental model and on a commercial piglet producing farm, with a focus on evaluating the suitability of tongue fluid samples.

Bleeding skin lesions in gestating sows of a piglet producing farm in Austria.

Background: Stomoxys calcitrans, the stable fly, occurs in pig producing countries worldwide. While in cattle the impact of this blood sucking insect is quite well described, its role in pig production is poorly investigated. Here we describe a case of a massive stable fly overpopulation in the gestation unit of a piglet producing farm in Austria that resulted in bleeding skin lesions in bitten sows.

Mycoplasma hyorhinis as a possible cause of fibrinopurulent meningitis in pigs? - a case series.

Background: Mycoplasma hyorhinis is an invader of the upper respiratory tract in swine that is considered to have ubiquitous distribution. It is mainly known for causing polyserositis and polyarthritis in weaned piglets, even though the mechanisms of systemic spread are not fully understood. Mycoplasma hyorhinis has also been associated with other diseases in pigs such as pneumonia or otitis media, but so far has not been known to cause central nervous disorders.

Use of Three Air Samplers for the Detection of PRRSV-1 under Experimental and Field Conditions.

Airborne transmission of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has been known for a long time. Most experiments were performed using PRRSV-2 strains and fairly little information is available on the airborne spread of PRRSV-1. The aim of this study was to assess three different air samplers for their ability to detect PRRSV-1 under experimental and field conditions.

Comparison of Pneumocystis nucleic acid and antibody profiles and their associations with other respiratory pathogens in two Austrian pig herds.

Pneumocystis carinii f. sp. suis (PCS) nucleic acid and antibody profiles on two Austrian-farrow-to-finish farms were investigated.

Congenital infection with atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV) is associated with disease and viral persistence.

In 2013, several Austrian piglet-producing farms recorded outbreaks of action-related repetitive myoclonia in newborn piglets ("shaking piglets"). Malnutrition was seen in numerous piglets as a complication of this tremor syndrome. Overall piglet mortality was increased and the number of weaned piglets per sow decreased by more than 10% due to this outbreak.

[Investigation of potential causes for the development of porcine ear necrosis: different study designs--comparable results?].

During the last years two studies for the investigation of the etiology of porcine ear necrosis were carried out at the Clinic for Swine of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. In study 1, parameters, which are discussed in this context, were collected by veterinary practitioners by completing specially designed questionnaires in farms with symptoms of the porcine ear necrosis syndrome. In study 2, samples of piglets and feed were collected for laboratory analysis of the most important infectious agents as well as mycotoxins.