Exotic Diseases

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Species Infected

affects only pigs

Clinical Signs

• incubation 2-7 days
• transient fever and mild inappetence
• lameness develops
• less severe than foot and mouth disease
• incidence depends on management and pen conditions - soft straw bedding results in less severe signs
• predilection sites are those associated with trauma
• coronary band, supernumary digit, heel
• morbidity variable from 20%
• mortality rare
• disease course 2-3 weeks with only minor set back in production

Lesions

• principally involves coronary band
• blanching and swelling
• development of thick walled vesicle
• rupture and ulceration with a red haemorrhagic base
• may get a rare severe lesion encircling coronary band
• horn may separate from coronary band
• 10% of animals may get lesions on tongue, lips, snout, belly

Pathogenesis

• depends on how much virus to which the animal is exposed
• small amounts of virus, infection primarily via damaged epithelium (e.g. feet)
• ingestion may not result in clinical signs
• large amounts of virus, can lead to infection through ingestion.
• will result in lesions at various sites other than coronary band
• most virus produced in first 7 days with virus being shed before clinical signs

Aetiology

• Enterovirus (Picornaviridae)
• closely related to human Coxsackie viruses
• lasts indefinitely in pork and pork products
• extremely resistant to environmental and chemical influences, therefore very difficult to decontaminate environment

Epidemiology

• introduction most likely by swill feeding of contaminated pork products
• animal to animal spread via infected fomites, faeces urine and debris
• property to property spread via sewerage and vehicles
• difficulties of decontamination
• introduction of susceptible pigs to detect presence of virus

Differential Diagnoses

• as for foot and mouth disease