Into the backyard: Multiple detections of PCV-2e in rural pig farms of Northern Italy. An unexpected ecological niche?

Faustini, Giulia; Tucciarone, Claudia Maria; Legnardi, Matteo; Grassi, L.; Berto, Giacomo; Drigo, Michele; Cecchinato, Mattia; Franzo, Giovanni

doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2023.105943

Cited by 4 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…The epidemiological relevance of rural/wild populations cannot be neglected for several reasons. Firstly, their contribution to the maintenance and spreading of the disease has been reported and the results of the present study are in line with and further strengthen the previous pieces of evidence ( Franzo et al, 2021a ; Faustini et al, 2023 ). Sequences collected from different pig categories were often part of the same cluster.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…The PCV-3 scenario identified in the present study based on the Italian situation mirrors and confirms what was previously proposed ( Franzo et al, 2015 , 2021b ; Molini et al, 2021 ; Faustini et al, 2023 ). Significantly higher odds of infection were demonstrated among wild and rural swine compared to commercial ones living in the same geographic area.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…It has tentatively been suggested that such ecological niches might favor the maintenance of less virulent genotypes, less fit to compete with the major ones that are more adapted to the commercial pig population. In fact, PCV-2c and-2e have been described at high frequency in these populations ( Franzo et al, 2015 ; Faustini et al, 2023 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Significantly higher odds of infection were demonstrated among wild and rural swine compared to commercial ones living in the same geographic area. While higher biosecurity measures could be involved, a comparable scenario was not observed for PCV-2 ( Faustini et al, 2023 ), lessening their potential impact. The PCV-3 frequency in commercial pigs herein reported is in line with what reported by previous literature, thus a lack of diagnostic sensitivity in the considered context appears unlikely ( Klaumann et al, 2018 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…A potential hypothesis could thus be the preferential presence of PCV-3 in niches, like wild and rural animals, allowing for a relatively smaller viral population size or posing less intense selective pressures. Recently, the role of rural pigs in the PRRSV and PCV-2 epidemiology has been investigated in Italy ( Franzo et al, 2021a ; Faustini et al, 2023 ), suggesting a relevant part in the maintenance and spreading of the infection. For PCV-2, minor genotypes have often been reported in unexpected host populations (e.g., rural and feral pigs, and wild animals) and/or geographical areas where industrial farming is marginal or in its infancy ( Franzo et al, 2015 , 2021b ; Molini et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Wilder than intense: higher frequency, variability, and viral flows of porcine circovirus 3 in wild boars and rural farms compared to intensive ones in northern Italy

Franzo,

Faustini,

Legnardi

et al. 2023

Front. Microbiol.

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IntroductionPorcine circovirus 3 (PCV-3) was firstly reported in 2017. Although evidence of its pathogenic role has been provided, its clinical relevance seems lower than Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2), as well as its evolutionary rate. Different studies have reported a high PCV-3 prevalence in wild boars, sometimes higher than the one observed in commercial pigs. Nevertheless, to date, few studies have objectively investigated the relationships between these populations when inhabiting the same area. Moreover, the role of small-scale, backyard pig production in PCV-3 epidemiology is still obscure.MethodsThe present study investigated PCV-3 occurrence in 216 samples collected from the same area of Northern Italy from commercial and rural pigs, and wild boars. PCV-3 presence was tested by qPCR and complete genome or ORF2 sequences were obtained when possible and analysed using a combination of statistical, phylogenetic and phylodynamic approaches.ResultsA higher infection risk in wild boars and rural pigs compared to the commercial ones was demonstrated. The phylodynamic analysis confirmed a larger viral population size in wild and rural populations and estimated a preferential viral flow from these populations to commercial pigs. A significant flow from wild to rural animals was also proven. The analysis of the Italian sequences and the comparison with a broader international reference dataset highlighted the circulation of a highly divergent clade in Italian rural pigs and wild boars only.DiscussionOverall, the present study results demonstrate the role of non-commercial pig populations in PCV-3 maintenance, epidemiology and evolution, which could represent a threat to intensive farming.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Wilder than intense: higher frequency, variability, and viral flows of porcine circovirus 3 in wild boars and rural farms compared to intensive ones in northern Italy

Franzo,

Faustini,

Legnardi

et al. 2023

Front. Microbiol.

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Epidemiological investigation and analysis of the infection of porcine circovirus in Xinjiang

Yang,

Wang,

Wang

et al. 2024

Virol J

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D for dominant: porcine circovirus 2d (PCV-2d) prevalence over other genotypes in wild boars and higher viral flows from domestic pigs in Italy

Faustini,

Poletto,

Baston

et al. 2024

Front. Microbiol.

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IntroductionPorcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2) is a key pathogen for the swine industry at a global level. Nine genotypes, differing in epidemiology and potentially virulence, emerged over time, with PCV-2a, -2b, and -2d being the most widespread and clinically relevant. Conversely, the distribution of minor genotypes appears geographically and temporally restricted, suggesting lower virulence and different epidemiological drivers. In 2022, PCV-2e, the most genetically and phenotypically divergent genotype, was identified in multiple rural farms in North-eastern Italy. Since rural pigs often have access to outdoor environment, the introduction from wild boars was investigated.MethodsThrough a molecular and spatial approach, this study investigated the epidemiology and genetic diversity of PCV-2 in 122 wild boars across different provinces of North-eastern Italy.ResultsMolecular analysis revealed a high PCV-2 frequency (81.1%, 99/122), and classified the majority of strains as PCV-2d (96.3%, 78/81), with sporadic occurrences of PCV-2a (1.2%, 1/81) and PCV-2b (2.5%, 2/81) genotypes. A viral flow directed primarily from domestic pigs to wild boars was estimated by phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses.DiscussionThese findings attested that the genotype replacement so far described only in the Italian domestic swine sector occurred also in wild boars. and suggested that the current heterogeneity of PCV-2d strains in Italian wild boars likely depends more on different introduction events from the domestic population rather than the presence of independent evolutionary pressures. While this might suggest PCV-2 circulation in wild boars having a marginal impact in the industrial sector, the sharing of PCV-2d strains across distinct wild populations, in absence of a consistent geographical pattern, suggests a complex interplay between domestic and wild pig populations, emphasizing the importance of improved biosecurity measures to mitigate the risk of pathogen transmission.

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Into the backyard: Multiple detections of PCV-2e in rural pig farms of Northern Italy. An unexpected ecological niche?

Cited by 4 publications

References 30 publications

Wilder than intense: higher frequency, variability, and viral flows of porcine circovirus 3 in wild boars and rural farms compared to intensive ones in northern Italy

Wilder than intense: higher frequency, variability, and viral flows of porcine circovirus 3 in wild boars and rural farms compared to intensive ones in northern Italy

Epidemiological investigation and analysis of the infection of porcine circovirus in Xinjiang

D for dominant: porcine circovirus 2d (PCV-2d) prevalence over other genotypes in wild boars and higher viral flows from domestic pigs in Italy

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