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Development of a Model of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea in Microminipigs
Hiroaki Kawaguchi1,2, Masayuki Horie3,4,5,2, Koki Onoue6
11 Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion Medicine, Pathology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.
Abstract:
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) induces an often fatal gastrointestinal disease in piglets. In this study, we performed a PEDV infection experiment with the Microminipig, the smallest of experimental minipigs, as a novel small animal model. We orally inoculated a neonatal Microminipig with an intestinal homogenate of a PEDV-infected pig and housed it in a small cage originally designed for rats in an animal biosafety level 2 facility. The infected Microminipig showed the typical signs of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), such as watery diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight loss. We also recognized a high amount of excreted PEDV in its rectal swabs and villus atrophy of the small intestine. These results suggest that the Microminipig is a good small animal model for PED, which may contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of PEDV.
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