Association between serum type-I, -III and -IV collagen concentrations and inguinal hernia status in piglets

Inguinal hernias are a significant health and economic problem in pig farming, affecting animal welfare and production profitability. Suspected aetiological factors include disorders in the metabolism of extracellular matrix components, including collagen, which is responsible for the integrity and strength of connective tissue. The aim of the study was to compare the concentrations of type-I, -III and -IV collagen in the blood serum of pigs with inguinal hernias to those in healthy animals.

The study used 87 pigs, comprised of 59 hernia-affected individuals in the experimental group and 28 unaffected counterparts in the control group. The animals were of the same age and came from the same genetic line. The study used ELISA tests for the quantitative measurement of serum collagen concentrations.

The results showed significantly higher concentrations of type-I (P-value < 0.001) and type-III (P-value < 0.01) collagen in the experimental group, indicating an association between collagen metabolism and hernia status. For type-IV collagen, the differences were not statistically significant.

Changes in type-I and type-III collagen levels may be associated with inguinal hernia status in pigs and warrant further investigation as potential risk biomarkers. Type-IV collagen showed no relationship with hernia status in the study population.