Prevalence of enteroviral and parvoviral antibodies in pig sera

Surveys of serum antibodies to enterovirus serotype 8 and parvovirus were conducted in pigs three to 21 weeks old using the virus neutralisation (VN), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and haemagglutination inhibition tests. Antibody levels to enterovirus were at their lowest at four to eight weeks old, increased at 14 to 16 weeks to high levels which were maintained until 21 weeks. Specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) values measured by ELISA paralleled VN values and were similar in two separate farm surveys. Measurement of immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels indicated that enterovirus infection occurred about four weeks old. Sera obtained from a large number of geographically separated farms, from abattoir-bled animals and from colostrum-deprived piglets raised for 33 weeks from birth in an isolated environment were tested by VN. Results revealed that porcine enterovirus serotype 8 is spread widely throughout northern Victorian piggeries and high antibody levels prevail. In contrast to the enterovirus antibody results, parvovirus antibody levels measured in piglets declined from high levels at three to four weeks to undetectable levels from 13 weeks old.