Pathogenicity of Porcine Circovirus Type 2d (PCV2d) in Pigs Infected with PCV2d or Co-infected with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and PCV2d or with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus and PCV2d

The objective of this study was to determine the pathogenicity of porcine circovirus type 2d (PCV2d) in pigs inoculated intranasally with PCV2d alone, PCV2d in combination with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae or PCV2d in combination with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Pigs infected with PCV2d alone were asymptomatic. All pigs inoculated with either M. hyopneumoniae and PCV2d or with PCV2d and PRRSV developed porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD), as characterized by a sudden onset of clinical signs and disseminated granulomatous inflammation. Inflammation was mainly present in lymph nodes and spleen, and occasionally in liver and kidney. Pigs in both of these dually infected groups also had significantly higher (P <0.05) microscopic lymphoid lesion scores and a significantly higher (P <0.05) number of PCV2-positive cells in lymph node tissue than did pigs inoculated with PCV2d alone. The M. hyopneumoniae and PRRSV combination potentiated the PCV2d load in the blood. Co-infection with PRRSV and PCV2d resulted in a significantly higher blood load of PCV2d compared with the M. hyopneumoniae and PCV2d combination. Successful reproduction of PCVAD in pigs appears to require PCV2d with at least one additional infectious agent, such as M. hyopneumoniae or PRRSV, for the full manifestation of disease. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.