Porcine atrophic rhinitis: a model for studying nasal physiology and pathophysiology

Porcine infectious atrophic rhinitis is a disease of swine which ought to be of considerable interest to rhinologists. We have reviewed some aspects of human atrophic rhinitis, and some aspects of etiology incidence, pathology and physiology of porcine infectious atrophic rhinitis. Swine with this nasal problem fail rather dramatically, to gain as much weight as unaffected animals. We have speculated on several reasons for this including altered nasal physiology and trigeminal reflexes and reduced olfaction. Photographs of infected pigs are included.