Detection of porcine parvovirus 2 in pigs in North Kerala, India.

Abstract

Porcine parvovirus 2 (PPV2) is one the viruses that has been reported to be associated with respiratory ailments in pigs. In North Kerala, there has been an increase in the cases of respiratory diseases in pigs. The prevalence of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) that are associated with respiratory disease in pigs has been established in Kerala. However, no study has been carried out on PPV2 in the state. This paper reports the results of a pioneer study carried out to detect and characterize PPV2 associated with cases of respiratory ailments in pigs in North Kerala. A total of 54 samples were tested for the presence of PPV2 by NS1 and VP1 gene-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of the samples tested, 3 (5.56%) were found to be positive for the virus. In two samples, coinfection of PPV2 and PCV2 was observed. On phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 gene of the virus, it was revealed that the virus was similar to PPV2 viruses detected in Croatia, Hungary and Romania. The results of the study indicate that PPV2 is present in pigs of North Kerala and that its prevalence is low. Since the virus is capable of inducing significant pathological changes in the lungs, and due to the possibility of coinfection with other viruses inducing respiratory ailments, measures are to be taken to control the spread of the virus in pigs in Kerala.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13337-025-00909-x.